Older Brother Bat
by Anonymous Crew
Summary: Bat meet Luffy ten years ago when he was seven. He was told to watch after Luffy when he sets out to be a pirate. He has no memories of himself before he was seven, not even his name. Now Bat's past is catching up to him in the Grand Line. He must be the wise older brother to these straw hats and protect them from the Grand line and himself.
1. Chapter 1

This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.

_Prologue_

_"__Bat! Get down here right now!" Benn Beckman, the first mate to Captain Red Haired Shanks, calls up to me from the deck below._

_My name is Bat. I am currently living and sailing with the Red Haired Pirates. I have no memories before I was seven, but that is okay because Captain Shanks took me in as his own crewmember. At that time, I knew nothing about myself, not even my name. I was given my name after getting rid of a bat in the Captain's cabin a couple days after he took me in. The whole crew made fun of him afterwards and decided to call me Bat. (Oh the Irony.) I have been this crew for seven years now and we are currently docked in a harbour of Windmill Village._

_"__Bat get off the top of the mast and help us load the supplies before we go to Makino's Bar." This time it was the captain that called up to me. "There is also someone I want you to meet. He's very energetic you might like him."_

_"__You're just hoping that his energy will rub off on me you old man." I shouted down to the deck where Shanks and Benn were standing staring up at me. Shanks started ranting on and on about how the younger men on this crew always called him old man and that they were going to pay for it. Then I could see this light bulb go off above his head. Captain Shanks then yelled over to Yasopp and whispered in his ear. They both then got this evil look in their eye as they slowly looked up to where I was perched on the mast. This was not going to end well._

_"__Yasopp, I order you to shoot that bat of the mast." Shanks yelled while pointing to me with this evil grin on his face. Yasopp smiled and drew his gun._

_"__My pleasure." All the new crewmen stared at the captain in shock while everyone else smirked. Yasopp took aim at my head and fired. Before the bullet even left the barrel of the gun, I was already on the deck._

_"__Fine, fine, you win Captain. I'll help with cargo, but I am not going into town. I stay here and look after the ship with some of the newbies." Shanks scoffed._

_"__No way. You are going to meet some people that I know and you will also help out with the cargo. No questions." I sighed and bowed._

_"__Very well, Captain." With that was done, we all loaded up the cargo and went to the bar after a bit of commotion. A boy apparently stabbed himself underneath the eye to prove himself. (What an Idiot.) Now here I was talking to the owner of the bar as the Captain and the rest of the crew drank._

_"__Why aren't you drinking with the rest of the crew?" Makino asked me giving a big smile._

_"__Well, these people need someone who is completely sober to make sure none of them kill each other by accident, especially with the newbies." I turned around and leaned against the counter. She nodded her head in understanding. Shanks then proceeded to slap my left shoulder gaining my attention from watching the crew._

_"__Luffy, I want you to meet one of my best crewmembers. He has been on the ship for seven years now." Luffy looked over at me while munching on some food._

_"__How old is he?" Shanks scratched his head and thought._

_"__Well Bat would be 14 if I remember correctly." Luffy's eyes bugged out of his head, when he heard how young I am._

_"__That means that he was seven when he joined your crew, right? I'm seven. Let me join the crew too." Shanks shook his head,_

_"__You're an anchor and a kid to boot." Luffy grumbled to himself then Benn explained how much responsibility the captain has and that there are many ways to die on the seas. Makino then offered more food to Luffy. Him and Shanks got to talking, about how many more times we were going to come here. Luffy made a promise that he will learn how to swim by the time we left, while eating a familiar looking fruit. (I couldn't place where though.) The swinging door to the bar was ripped off it's hinges by the leader to a group of mountain bandits. They asked for beer, but Makino said that she just ran out of it. Shanks then offered the last unopened bottle to the leader. The mountain bandit smashed the bottle against Shanks head getting him soaked in rum. I sighed. This was going to be troublesome. Shanks tried to clean up the glass, when the bandit proceeded to slice his sword down the counter creating a bigger mess. Then they left. The whole crew burst out in laughter while I just watched Luffy shake in rage. Luffy then shouted out that Shanks was a coward and that he was going to find a new role model. Shanks grabbed Luffy's wrist and gaped as Luffy's arm stretched. Eveyone spit out their drinks except for me. One of the men looked in the small chest and said that the fruit wasn't there. Then Shanks starts yelling that he ate the gum-gum fruit and that he would never be able to swim again. Of course Luffy freaked out about this whole thing. _

_Not long afterwards we left, only to come back that there is trouble in town. Luffy got into a fight with the bandits and was being beaten up when we arrived. Benn took care of them all after one of the bandits were shot for pointing a gun at Shanks. Captain goes on about being ready to put your life on the line if you point a gun, and that nobody hurts a friend of mine. The leader of the bandit group then takes Luffy out to sea in a little dingy. The Captain freaks out because he can't find Luffy. I was told to search the forests, but I had a hunch that I was needed at the harbour. When I arrived Shanks was there in the water holding a crying Luffy. What made me feel worse was that I couldn't help Shanks or Luffy that day. Luffy said he was going to be King of the Pirates when we were leaving. Shanks gave him his straw hat, and says to give it back to him when he does. Then he says that I will join his crew in ten years from now. I don't object. The boy grew on me. I will join his crew to look after him for Shanks sake. With that we were off. _

_"__Shanks can you train me to be stronger?" I asked him after we left the harbour. Shanks gave me a big close-eyed smiled and said sure kid._


	2. Chapter 2

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

_Chapter 1_

_10 years later_

Luffy is now 17 and is ready to set off to find his crew to become the King of the Pirates. The townsfolk watches him go. He then punches the sea king that ate Shanks arm ten years ago. (He got what he deserves for eating my 'previous' captain's arm.) I stand there on the shore watching as he left by himself. (That Idiot.) He told me to follow behind and watch as he acquires his first mate by himself. I am the scout and tracker of his crew. So he said, that I have to find him. Fortunately I can guess where he is going to end up, and so I head there. Using my power, I am instantly teleported to the Alvida Pirates boat. Now all I have to do is sit and wait for Luffy to show up. I sat in a tree close to the shore staying in the shade of the leaves. For the next day or so I observe the Alvida pirates putting down small notes for future reference into a small, leather notebook. It had certain wanted posters in it to remind me to watch over Luffy. My other job in this crew is to gather information to protect Luffy and his crew. Although, he doesn't know that I am doing this. I hear a sudden crash and remember the barrel that they brought up from the ocean. I sweat drop, when I realise that Luffy was in that barrel. (Most likely asleep.) I hear him ask who the people in the storeroom were. They yell asking who he was, when Alvida throws her iron mace at them to get back to work. Luffy talks to Koby the cabin boy. He had pink hair and round glasses. He explained that he wanted to go fishing and ended up on the Alvida Pirates boat instead, and has been the cabin boy for two years now. Koby was going to be an interesting marine if he builds up the courage for it. I hear Koby freak out when he hears that Luffy is going to be King of the Pirates. Luffy then hits him on the head. That Koby was being hysterical. Then Luffy starts talking.

"I'm not afraid to die. I've set myself to becoming King of the Pirates and if I die trying then at least I tried." Koby was almost shocked speechless. Koby then determinedly declared that he was going to become a marine and capture the old hag Alvida. Unfortunately, Alvida overheard and smashed Koby's sad excuse for a boat with her iron mace. Alvida then accuses Koby of hiring (Luffy) Roronoa Zolo to take her down. He stands up to her and Alvida attacks him, but Luffy takes the blow. He claims that it doesn't hurt cause he's rubber. I shake my head and sigh. Leave it to Luffy to jump out into danger. He is so stupid. Luffy then proceeds to knock out Alvida with his gum-gum-pistol and tells the frightened men to get a boat for Koby. They quickly comply. I then jump down from my perch in the tree, scaring everyone there. I dust my hands off and look around.

"Good Job Luffy, you really made a name for yourself here." Luffy laughs at my comment and we all board the small boat. I sat at the tip of the mast. (I like high places.) Luffy and Koby then started to talk about him having to go to the grand line.

"By the way Luffy, who is that person?" Koby said pointing to me. I look down at him. (He should know that it is rude to point at people. Maybe I'll remind him later.) Luffy looks back up at me from his seat at the very front of the boat. He smiles.

"Oh that is Bat. He is like an older brother of sorts. Bat is 24. He's been a pirate since he was seven." Luffy laughs. Koby's mouth is hanging open and it reaches the floor of the boat.

"You'll catch flies like that." I reprimanded him from my standing position on the mast top. Luffy then redirects the conversation.

"Who is that imprisoned guy?"

"You mean Roronoa Zolo." Koby starts to sweat, when Luffy says Zolo can join the crew. "You can't he's a monster. A demonic beast!" I look through my information of swordsmen in the notebook and find that he appears to be a promising swordsmen to have on board. I nod my head in approval and put away the leather notebook. I continue to listen to their conversation.

"A demonic beast, huh?"

"His real name is Roronoa Zolo, but they call him 'Zolo the pirate hunter.' He's like a bloodthirsty hound roaming the seas, hunting men for their bounties. Rumour is that he's a demon in human form." I smirked. Zolo was going to be an interesting character. I guess we are headed to pick up our first mate, Roronoa Zolo.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter Two

Well me, Luffy and Koby finally made it to the Naval Base town. Luffy was mildly surprised that Koby got us to where we needed to be.

"Of course I did! That's the minimum requirement for people who sail the seas. Luffy, if you keep randomly floating around, you'll never become a pirate." I nodded my head and suggested that we get a navigator. I recall a certain red head that I met before that was very good at navigating, but I couldn't remember who. I shrug. (Maybe I'll remember later.) Luffy and Koby eat food at a table in a restaurant while I stand by counter watching everything. Koby starts to cry when Luffy mentions that he hopes that he will join the navy and become a great sailor. Duffy then remembers why we were here in the first place, (Recruit Zolo.)and mentions it to Koby. Once the townsfolk hear the name they freak out, flipping tables and chairs to get up against the walls. I start thinking up theories as to why they would do that, when Koby mentions Captain Morgan and the people do the exact same thing again. (These people in town are terrified. Maybe of both pirates and marines. This is very troubling.) I frown slightly at the thought. We soon left the restaurant. Koby and Luffy talking about how funny those people were. Arriving at the marine base, I jump onto the top of the wall sitting in a crouch. Koby becomes nervous because how big it is. Duffy then pulls himself up to look over the wall with me when he spots someone too. (That's Zolo I know it.) He hops down and Koby talks.

"You won't find him just by looking over a fence. he probably deep within the marine base prison."

"Oh yeah? Well there is someone over there! Maybe it's Zolo." Luffy says running farther down the fence. I stay up top the fence following behind him. Him and Koby pull themselves up to peek over the fence. They see this really scary man with a black bandana and a green haramaki sash. His aura oozed that he was ready to kill them. Koby got so scared he fell of the fence and saying that that person really is Roronoa Zolo. Zolo was tied to crossed wooden poles by his arms and waist.

"So that's him. I could just untie the ropes and set him free." Luffy had a good point there. Koby started yelling. (He is afraid of everything. Yeesh.)

"THAT'S SUICIDE! IF YOU LET HIM LOOSE HE'LL KILL US THEN WRECK THE TOWN!" Zolo then starts to talk gaining our attention.

"Hey kid. Come over here and untie me. I have been here for nine days and I can't take this anymore." Duffy made a comment about Zolo smiling. (I mean he had blood running from his mouth!) "I'll make it worth your while. I'll capture someone with a big bounty on their head and give it all to you. You can trust me. I am a man of my word." I smirk. (He sure is isn't he.) I remember the info I gathered from some certain people in town who told me the real story of why he was in here. It was pretty interesting. Koby tries to explain to Luffy that if he unties him, then Zolo will kill us. Luffy smiles.

"He couldn't. I wouldn't let him." I scoff and they both turn to me. I then cross my arms while staying in my crouch position by Luffy.

"He would have to kill you guys over my dead body." I could tell that Koby thought that we big heads. Turning my head away from them coughing not my hand trying to suppress my laugh. A ladder suddenly hits the side of the wall. A girl climbs up, shushing us with her finger then proceeds to go over the fence to Zolo. Koby calls out to her, but she doesn't listen. H then tries to get Luffy to go get, but he tells Koby to do it himself. Zolo tells her to get lost, but she only offers him food instead. She stands there smiling at him so happily saying that this is the first time that she made them. Zolo then yells at her that he will stomp her to death if she doesn't leave. I look over to the metal gates over to the right, then a blonde haired man (Maybe a boy? Can't tell.) comes in. I remember that this was Captain Morgan's son, Helmeppo. (What kind of name is that? I know that my name is weird, but not that weird.) Of course, Luffy and Koby didn't know who he was, but I know they will find out later. (No need to tell them.) Helmeppo then takes one of the girl's snacks for Zolo and take a bit out of it. He then chokes on it saying that it tastes horrible. The girl said she sweetened it with sugar instead of salt. He then tosses them both on the ground and stomps on them with his foot. Helmet makes her cry, tries to reassure her then orders for her to be thrown over the wall. A officer throws the girl over the wall and Luffy catches her. Koby asks if she is okay. I glance at her determining for myself that she is fine because of Luffy. I quickly look back to Zolo. Him and Helmeppo talk about a bargain where he would stay tied up for a month. (He says he was only tied up for nine days and he couldn't take it. How many days are in a month does he think there are?) Helmeppo then leaves. Luffy goes up to Zolo and offers him to join the pirate crew. Zolo flat out refuses saying that he won't stoop down to that level.

"But becoming a pirate is my true dream. What's wrong with it?"

"You think if you untie me I'm going to join your crew?"

"I haven't decided if I'll ask yet, you've got a pretty bad reputation."

"Bad reputation? Well anyway, I don't go for that kind of deal. I've got plans of my own for the future. I don't need your help. I can get out of here on my own. All I have to do is last for a month then I'll be a free man. The idiot son promised me. All I have to do is survive and then I'll be free to pursue my dream." Then he asks Luffy to give the smashed food the girl had made. He eats it and tells Luffy to tell the girl that it was delicious. I smirk. (He really is soft on kids.)

We meet up with the girl and Luffy tells her that Zolo ate all of it and that it was tasty. She was very happy. Koby questions if Zolo really is a bad guy and the girl said he isn't. She then explains that Helmeppo brought really mean dogs that attacked her and Zolo killed them saving her from the dogs. That is why he is in prison. Just then Helmeppo then comes strolling down the road. All the towns people are bowing and quivering with their brows touching the dirt. I frown at this from my spot leaning against the brick wall. Helmeppo yells out that there will be a public execution for Zolo and said that the promise was a joke to play with him. Luffy then punched Helmeppo in the face very hard. I slapped my forehead. (This guy just gets angry to fast. That idiot.) He claimed that he was going to ask Zolo to join the crew. I smiled. (Time to go.)


	4. Chapter 4

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter Two

(Lets review the last five minutes) Luffy get made at Helmeppo because he was going to kill Zolo. (End of review.)Now the townsfolk were shocked and scared that Luffy actually hit Captain Morgan's son. Koby held Luffy back from hitting Helmeppo again.

"Luffy stop! Are you trying to pick a fight with the whole navy!"

"Scum is scum no matter who the father is!" Helmeppo started ranting on how Luffy had actually hit him. (He is such a pussy.) I smirk and then feel a cough coming. I frown and turn into a dark alleyway away from everyone. The cough rises up as I pull out my hankerchief. I cough into it for a bit then pool back to see it stained with blood. I sigh and put it back into my pocket. (I'll have to wash it later.) Going back, I see that it is just Luffy and Koby. I figured that Helmeppo left and everyone cleared out to try and get away from Morgan's wrath. Luffy says he needs to talk to Zolo and starts heading there.

Now at the Naval Base. Luffy starts talking to Zolo again.

"Call me Luffy. I'll untie you if you join my crew. Okay?"

"Don't you listen, boy? I've got my own mission and it doesn't involve being a pirate."

"You're too good to be a pirate? You, a bounty hunter? Who everyone calls a demon?"

"I don't care what people think. I live by my own code… I've never done anything I regret, and I don't intend to in the future. Which is why I'll never be a pirate." Luffy looks away with this deadpan expression and spoke.

"Sorry, but I've made up my mind! You're gonna join my crew." I smirk at how determined he was. Luffy then proceeds to black mail Zolo by taking his swords and won't give them back until he joins the crew. Luffy is a very blunt black mailer. He goes to go get them from the base, but he starts running the wrong direction. I coughed. Luffy then turns around and heads the right direction.

"Thanks." He said as he ran by. Zolo and I stare at each other for a bit then he starts talking.

"You may seem like a very docile person, but I can tell that you are a very scary man." Zolo smirked at me. "So what is the name of the scary man standing before me?" I smirk and bow with my arm across my stomach.

"My name will be revealed later. For now I have things to do." I then teleported into the office of Captain Morgan and shuffled through the papers taking notes into my leather notebook. There wasn't much there sadly. I did notice though that this Morgan fellow was a really stuck up person. A giant crash went off shaking the whole building. (That was Luffy breaking the statue they're trying to put up isn't it?) I then teleport myself to the communications room. The two men inside shout in exclamation. I quickly knock them out and then continue to search for any important information. There where some concerning details dealing with the higher ups and certain pirates, but nothing to be concerned about yet. After a few more notes written down I teleport to the top of the post Zolo is tied to. He notices me and shouts that I shouldn't be up there. I stand up on the post to get my ears farther away from the shout fest below me. Koby then shows up saying that he is going to be a proper sailor just like Luffy is going to be King of the Pirates. Zolo was shocked to hear that Luffy wanted to go down that career path and asks if he knew what he was doing. Koby said that Luffy would try even if he died doing it. I roll my eyes.

"Of course, Luffy would die in what he believes in. Zolo be prepared to get into a lot of fights." They both shout out in surprise.

"Bat, how long have you been there?"

"I've been here before you got here." Now we just have to wait for Luffy to get here.

(Zolo's POV)

I glance up at the person standing on the post above me. He is a strange, scary fellow. I can't tell what he is thinking at all. His eyes are a mixture of dark ocean blue and gold and his hair was black that is white tipped at the end. (He hair is so strange looking.) Bat's clothing were long jeans with three chains connected to the belt loop. He wore a black button up top and grey vest. He wears some strange clothing. He had no obvious weapon on him, but that doesn't mean that he can't kill someone. If I join this crew it will be ve interesting having Bat around. I sigh this person is going to be so hard to figure out.

**Feel free to review and leave comments on what you think. - The Crew ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 4

As we wait for Luffy, Koby gets shot in the shoulder. He was surprised that he was actually shot and that he was bleeding. Zoro looks at him.

"Good you're alive." I roll my eyes. He was so worried for Koby right there. "Get out of here. They are coming." Koby holds onto his wounded shoulder.

"I haven't untied you yet." Koby then goes on to tell Zoro that they planned to execute him instead of letting him leave alive. "The navy is your enemy now. If I untie you, will you help Luffy? He saved my life. I won't ask you to become a pirate, but Luffy's really strong and so are you. If you team up you can escape from here. Please help him!" (What am I? Chopped liver?) The marines then show up pointing guns at us. Luffy is probably making a whole bunch of noise while in searching for Zoro's swords. I then see a yellow straw hat in one of the windows of the marine base. Giving a small chuckle, I turn my attention back to Morgan who was shouting for everyone to make sure that the said straw hat doesn't escape. (Well speak of the devil.) Morgan then begins speaking.

"You four aren't simple outlaws are you? You trying to overthrow me? Roronoa Zolo! Pheasants and pirates may tremble at your name but you are no match for the great one. You may be a barracuda, but I'm a great white shark." (Yup, he is certainly full of himself.) "Take aim!" (Well looks like I'm going to die today.) I smile and look down at Zoro. He seems to be going through a flashback of his past. Zoro had an interesting past that's for sure. I open my leather notebook and read the background on Zoro.

He was the second best swordsmen there was on the island. The only one he couldn't defeat was the daughter of the man who owned the dojo. He challenged her on many occasions and always lost. He had made a promise one day to her that he will be the best swordsmen in the world that even his name will reach the heaven. (Big promise to fulfill.) Unfortunately, she soon died from falling down the stairs. Zolo received the dojo's prized sword. The white one he now carries today. I closed my book and put it away when the window shattered to my left. Morgan shouted fire and no one else heard the window break. I chuckled again. Zolo heard me laugh and looked up.

"What are you laughing at?" I look down and smirk at him.

"Your reaction to what happens next." I look to where the marines start to fire their rifles. Luffy then comes out of nowhere with three swords on his back. They were Zolo's. He receives all the bullets that were shot at Zolo and Koby. He leaves me to dodge mine. (My captain is **_so_** thoughtful to his scout.) Luckily they weren't very good shots. Their reactions were totally worth it though as I watch everyone gape as Luffy's skin stretched from the bullets impact. He then reflected them back at the marines and barely missed Morgan's head. Koby was soon lying on the ground with foam in his mouth. (I bet Helmeppo looked like that from Luffy dragging him around.) Zolo starts shouting at Luffy.

"What are you?"

"I'm the guy who is going to be King of the Pirates. So which sword is your's? I didn't know which one, so I brought them all." I sigh and Luffy looks up at me questioning.

"Luffy they are all his. He practices three-sword style." Luffy seems to have a light bulb moment.

"If you fight the navy with me here and now, in the eyes of the government, you'll be one of the bad guys. Of course, you could obey the law and let them kill you." Zolo looks at Luffy and smirks.

"You must be demon spawn, but I'm not ready to die without a fight! All right! You've got yourself a pirate." I smile at Zolo's resolve to win. He was going to be fun to watch in a fight. Looking down at him, I start to speak.

"Don't forget Zolo. You maybe our comrade now, but that doesn't mean I won't hurt you if you betray Luffy. So welcome to the crew." Both Luffy and Zolo glance up at me and then back to the marines. Luffy chuckles at that comment while Zolo says nothing. (I hope I didn't scare him too much with that.)

**Thank you. Pardon the late update. We will update again very soon. Please review and leave comments. -The Crew ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter Five

Luffy then realized what Zolo had just said.

"Really? You'll join my crew!?" He exclaimed happily.

"I don't have a choice, now untie me." The marines were yelling at each other asking what the heck Luffy is. Morgan then states that he is no ordinary man and that he had eaten one of the devil fruits. The men were shocked and surprised.

"...The secret treasure from **those **seas!" One of the marine men shouted. Another shouted that Luffy was untying Zolo. Morgan then gave them orders that if bullets don't work on Luffy then they should use their swords. I'm mildly surprised that they had possibly figured out his weakness that fast. (Anything sharp can cut him.) I give a small smile at the marines. Of course, Luffy couldn't untie the ropes and Zolo was screaming for him to hurry up. Koby then regained consciousness and started shouting at Zolo and Luffy to watch out for the marines. (Everyone seems to be in a yelling mood at the moment.) This whole scene is making me roll my eyes. Which I did. Morgan shouts as the marines draw closer.

"Those who defy me must die!" (He must really like the power he has.) Koby yells and all the marines attack at once. They were stopped by Zolo who was holding two swords in his hands and one in his mouth. (I wonder if it hurts his teeth?) Morgan and Koby are shocked. Luffy shouts that Zolo is so cool. Zolo then threatens the marines.

"The first one who moves dies." Those words made the marines cry. They were so scared of him that it was hilarious. Zolo then starts to talk to Luffy.

"All right, so I'm a pirate. I gave you my word. I've fought the navy, therefore I'm an outlaw now, but hear this. I have a mission to fulfill. I'm going to be the worlds greatest swordsman! All I have left is my destiny! My name may be infamous, but it is gonna shake the world." I smirk at his little speech.

"Zolo don't worry about that. You'll be famous in no time." Luffy glances at me, then starts talking.

"The worlds greatest swordsman, that's great. And it's fitting since your new boss is going to be King of the Pirates. Anything else would make me look bad" Morgan starts yelling at the men to turn us into mince-meat. Luffy tells Zolo to duck. I chuckle.

"You better do as the captain tells you Zolo or you're going to get hurt." Luffy does the gum-gum-whip. He uses his leg like a whip and pushes the marines back to where Morgan is standing. (He can't come with any original names it seems, but this is Luffy we are talking about.) Morgan has his mouth hanging open in surprise. Koby says that Luffy is incredible. Zolo asks a question.

"What the devil are you?" Luffy laughs.

"I am a rubber man." The marine start saying it's hopeless for them to win against a rubber man and Roronoa Zolo. Morgan then starts talking.

"Hear me. All you cowards who were whining just now will shoot themselves in the head. I won't tolerate defeatists in my outfit! On my order!" The marines then put cocked pistols to their heads. Luffy didn't like that he was being ignored, so he attacked Morgan saying that he is the enemy and to try putting him to death. Everyone is standing there watching Luffy and Morgan face off. Koby shouts at Luffy to defeat Morgan. They both introduce themselves, then Morgan proceeds to swipe at Luffy and ends up cutting the fence and stone wall. They begin to battle with Luffy dodging. Morgan goes for an overhand slices saying that he sentences him to death. Luffy dodges and says that he is not going to die. He kicks Morgan in the face and starts talking to him.

"You and your navy are ruining Koby's dream." Helmeppo shouts at them to stop, but Luffy punches Morgan again.

"I told you to stop! One false move and four-eyes gets it! If you even blink, I'll shoot." The marines seemed shocked that Helmeppo would do that. I smirk. (The kid has guts.) Koby shouts at Luffy to let him be killed. Luffy then pulls his arm back.

"Koby you're a good kid." I smile. (That means he doesn't want Koby to die. He then starts saying gum-gum pistol. Morgan is standing behind Luffy with his axe hand raised. Koby shouts at Luffy to look behind him. Helmeppo yells at his dad to kill him. I move to stand behind Koby just incase things don't exactly go our way. Luffy punches Helmeppo while Zolo takes down axe-hand Morgan. I sigh. These kids are going to make me die of a heart attack one day.

"Nice Zolo."

"No sweat captain." I smile at their teamwork. (This is going to be a good crew.)

**Don't forget to review. We will update soon. - The Crew ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter Six

The marines shouted out that Captain Morgan has been defeated. I roll my eyes. (No kidding.) Zolo looks to the marines left standing.

"Any of you still want to catch us?" The marines look at each other with question marks, then they jump up and shout for joy that they are free from Morgan's reign. Luffy looks at them.

"They're happy that their captain was defeated." Koby then starts to talk.

"That means captain Morgan was pulling by fear!"

"Of course he was." Koby shouts and I move out from behind him.

"When did you get there?" I look at Koby and point to myself.

"I've been behind you before Luffy knocked Helmeppo out." Zolo then collapses. Luffy and Koby shout out his name. I sigh, go over and pick Zolo up.

"Don't worry Luffy. Zolo is fine. He just needs some food and water to get him going again." We then head back to the restaurant that we first went to when we came to this island.

Zolo then eats until he is stuffed. There were even villagers gawking outside the window at how much he ate. It was quiet a lot. Luffy was eating also.

"See Zolo, you would have never survived the month." Zolo looks at Luffy.

"Funny you seem hungrier than me." Koby thanks the Lady for feeding them.

"Oh, It's no problem. You three all saved the town." I walk up to the woman. She stares at me. I stare back then ask.

"Would you like me to take those for you?" She looked surprised for a seconed then smiled, thanked me and handed me the pile of dishes. I take them to the sink, roll up my sleeves and start washing them while continuing to listen to the conversation.

"So what's next?" Zolo asked Luffy. Luffy smiled.

"We're headed for the Grand Line." I smirk while scrubbing a dish. Koby freaks out.

"That's suicide! There are only three of you. If you go there, you'll just be sailing to your deaths! The most bloodthirsty pirates in the world are there." Zolo smiles

"Well I guess if we're after the 'one piece', the Grand Line is where we have to go."

"Zolo you agree with him!"

"What's it to you? You're not coming with us."

"No, but I'm worried about you. Is that wrong? Can't I worry about my friends? Luffy we haven't know each other for very long, but we're friends aren't we?" Koby sounded that he was on the verge of tears. (he really is worried about Luffy.) I close my eyes and smile. (Luffy sure can make friends with just about anyone. They all gather around him.) Luffy smiled.

"We're going our separate ways, but we'll always be friends."

"You're the first real friend I've ever had. No one else stuck up for me. I wouldn't even stick up for myself, but the two of you taught me to fight for what I believe in." Luffy looked at Koby.

"That's why I'm going to the grand Line."

"Makes sense to me." Zolo said. I'm almost done, because I got the hunch marines were going to come. Koby gets angry.

"I'm trying to convince you that it's to reckless." Zolo then bonks Koby with the hilt of one of his swords.

"What about your plans? You were cabin boy on Alvida's pirate ship for two years. Watch out for the navy's intelligence. If they find out about your background, they won't let you enlist." The marines then knock on the door of the restaurant. I turn around, drying my hands on a towel.

"Speak of the devil." Everyone glances at me then back to the marine in the doorway.

"You gentlemen are pirates right?" Luffy smiles and answers.

"That's right. I even have a crewman now. One that I found myself. This makes me a genuine pirate captain." The marine looks really embarrassed to say what he is about to say.

"You saved our base and this town... and we are truly grateful to you. However, we are still naval marines and we can't shelter pirates. I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to leave. To show our gratitude, we won't report you to the navy." The villagers start to yell in protest to the way the marines were treating us pirates. Luffy stands up.

"I guess we'll be going then. Ma'am thanks for the meal." I agree and roll down my sleeves. Luffy and Zolo get to the door without even glancing at him. The marine asks if Koby was going with them, but Koby said he wasn't one of them. The marine asks Luffy if this is true. He gives this evil smirk. I chuckle at how this was going to play out. Luffy then starts giving hints about Koby's background. Koby gets so scared that Luffy was going to reveal it, he punched him in the face yelling shut up. I sigh. (Koby was going to get hurt real bad.) Luffy then proceeds to beat Koby up until Zolo pulls him off. The marine was yelling about him disturbing the peace and that Koby was clearly not one of us. He was lying there on the floor about to cry, but he then jumps up asking to be enlisted in the navy. There was some talk about him being a spy for pirates, but Koby quickly dispelled that by shouting that he was going to be a navy officer. The man who talked to us then accepted him into the navy. I smile.

"Good job kid. You got what you wanted." The man looks over to me and raises an eyebrow.

"Did you want to join the navy too?" I chuckle, then go on to a full out laugh. I shake my head and look at him straight in the eye.

"I can't join the navy." He looks skeptically at me.

"And why not?" I smirk at him.

"It's because I've been a pirate for 14 years now." The man and the other marines looked at me shocked. "See ya." I then teleport myself to our boat.

Luffy and Zolo walked up to the boat just as I teleported to the mast of the little boat. They haven't noticed me yet. Zolo was talking to Luffy.

"That was some pretty bad acting. I wouldn't be surprised if they saw through it."

"It's all up to Koby, now. He'll get in somehow."

"Well it's a good time to leave considering everyone hates us now. That's the ways a pirate should leave the town." Luffy was untying the boat.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Koby then shows up out of breath. He then thanks Luffy, him and the marines of the town salute us as we head out to sea. I hear the man comment to Koby that he has good friends. I turn away and smile. Luffy starts shouting.

"We are on our way to the Grand Line!" (We don't even have a really good navigator yet to get us to the Grand Line. He really doesn't think anything through does he?) I sigh. This was going to be a long adventure.

**Review and comment if you like. Questions are also aloud. Will update again soon. - The Crew ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**This is a note from the crew.****The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter Seven

We were drifting out at sea and Luffy was hungry. (Not a surprise there.)

"Don't you think it's strange that you don't know how to navigate?"

"No, drifting has worked pretty good for me. What about you? You're supposed to be the holy terror of the seas." Zolo leans back against the boat.

"I don't ever recall calling myself that. I followed a pirate I was after out to sea, nut I couldn't find my way back to my village." I sweat drop. (That means that he is even worse than Luffy at directions.) "So I made the best of things. I went after pirates in the area. I had to earn money somehow." Luffy laughs at him.

"So you got lost?" Zolo yelled at Luffy with suddenly sharp teeth.

"You don't have to put it like that! Anyway, what kind of pirate doesn't know how to navigate a ship? It's ridiculous. At this rate we will never make it to the Grand Line" Zolo looks up to were I was standing up top the mast. "Hey Bat! Do you know how to navigate?" I look down at them.

"I do, but that is not my job. I'm not here to do things for Luffy. He can do it on his own. I just make sure that he won't die." Zolo looks at me funnily. "I have something to check out so I'll see you very soon." I salute to them and teleport to my next destination.

Zolo's POV

I look to Luffy who was counting of crewmen for the crew on his fingers.

"Luffy where does Bat go? I really don't care about a persons past, but there is something that makes him so closed off and detached. It makes me want to know what happened in his past. What is he thinking?" Luffy looks deep in thought and then falls back on his back.

"Bat is a more experienced pirate than either of us. He has been a pirate for 14 years now." Zolo looks shocked. "I heard from the man who gave me this hat that Bat had a rough past that he couldn't remember, but he knew who Bat was when he took him in. That's all I really know about him. He does't reveal much about himself. I gave a second promise to make sure that he will never know about his past before becoming a pirate." Zolo raises an eyebrow.

"What if he already knows and just hasn't told you yet?"

"Then I can't do anything about it. I already think he knows." I flop down next to Luffy and notice the bird in the sky.

Normal POV (Bat)

I pant at how far I had to teleport. (This was getting to much.) I bring out my handkerchief and cough into the already blood stained fabric. My whole body was wracked with pain. I didn't hear the pair of feet that appeared in the vision of my hunched over body.

"You don't look to good for a young'n like yourself." I chuckle as I unbend myself.

"Easy for you to say Marco. You are not like me because I am the only one with this certain problem." The man, Marco, laughs.

"Oh, I am sure that you are the only one like this, but can't you see what this is doing to you. It's destroying you from the inside." I wave his comment of and wipe the blood dripping from my mouth.

"I need to talk to Whitebeard."

I was standing on the deck of Whitebeard's large ship. All his crewmen were standing around. Most of the newer men were anxious that I was there for an audience with Whitebeard. The said man gives a large booming laugh.

"Bat my boy what brings you here? Do you have any news for me?" I bow with my arm across my stomach.

"Yes, I do. It is some most troubling news." I glance around at the people standing around. "And I believe that this is for specific ears only." Whitebeard gives another laughs and tells me that we shall have a meeting in the captains quarters. Once there I pull out a yellow manilla envelope.

"Are you prepared for this Whiteboard?" He looks at me sternly. Marco glances at me then speaks up.

"What are you getting at Bat?" I shake my head.

"This is for Whiteboard to decide wether to hear this or not." Whitebeard laughs and gives me a wave to get on with it.

"Very well. But be warned. I did not obtain this information easily, so if you do not take what I'm about to say. I will leave." I close my eyes and suck in a big breath. "There will be betrayal on this ship and it will lead to war." Many of the select few that were hear to listen gasped in shock. Whitebeard, Marco and a few others were silent, then Whitebeard sullenly shouted out.

"THAT IS AN OUTRAGEOUS ASSUMPTION TO MAKE BAT! I KNOW YOU HAVE GIVEN US GOOD INTEL BEFORE, BUT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!" He then swung his hand at me. I teleported to dodge in time, but once I stopped my body went into a large coughing fit. It was so bad, that I collapsed to one knee. (This was not good.) Whiteboard was about to try to hit me for a second time until he saw what was happening. He sighed and slumped back into his chair.

"Sorry Bat. I didn't mean to do this to you." He watched as I pulled out the still damp handkerchief. It was one he had personally given me for my 17th birthday. It even still has the Whitebeard insignia.

"Don't worry about me, but I might as well get going since you didn't take the news well." After I finished getting rid of the blood, I put it back into my pocket along with the manilla envelope. I started heading towards the door.

"You don't plan on going back like that do you?" It was Marco that spoke this time. I chuckle and look back at all of them.

"I have to get back to my duty as being a pirate, but it has been nice seeing you all again." I waved at them all as I teleported practically through the door.

Marco's POV

The whole atmosphere in the room seemed gloomy. No one dared to move. I sigh. That kid. I look up to Whitebeard from where I'm standing, then look back to the door.

"Pops?" Whitebeard glances at me then back to the door.

"Yeah Marco?"

"He sure has a lot to bear doesn't he?" I heard Whitebeard sigh this time.

"Indeed he does."

**Review or comment. Will update soon. - The Crew ;)**


	9. Chapter 9

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter Eight

I returned to the boat Luffy and Zolo were on only to see it docked at the pier of a town. My lips twitch into a small frown. (This place seemed awfully familiar.) I get off the boat and take out my notebook looking through it for a sketch I might have made for this town. I find a slightly smaller version of the town with its name and some notes on the side about the villagers. There was a wanted poster with the information about the town. It was a poster of Buggy, Captain of the Buggy Pirates. (He looks like a clown with a giant red nose. Buggy also has…) A big explosion to my left brought me out of my thoughts on Buggy. The whole row of houses on the left of me, were completely destroyed. I sigh. (This might have something with Luffy getting into trouble. I also have no doubt that Zolo is lost somewhere.) I roll my eyes and decide to follow the trail of destruction. I soon come upon the mayor's house. There was a lot of noise coming from the roof. I teleport and crouch on the railing for the roof. None of the pirates notice me. I see partying pirates, a red headed girl that sticks out along with Luffy tied up in a metal cage. I sweat drop. (Oh lord how did I get it right, that Luffy was in trouble.) The girl starts talking to Luffy, when Buggy walks up and starts talking. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear them over the rowdy pirates. Buggy then shouts out for his men to load the special Buggy ball. (Luffy must have gotten him mad.) The men load the canon ball into the canon and point it at Luffy. (Oh boy. This might get a little dicey.) Buggy starts yelling.

"Now it's your turn girlie! Prove your loyalty by blowing your former boss into mincemeat with the Buggy ball. Show me you're ruthless enough to take over the world! Kill your former boss." I tilt my head to the right. (Boss? Am I missing something here?) The girl starts to sweat.

"You want me to kill him? That's okay captain Buggy, I don't need to do that." She becomes more cheerful. "Lets just drink some more. Ley's forget about that loser."

"Do it." Buggy commands the girl and his men encourage her to blow him to bits. She stands next to the canon. I narrow my eyes. (She seems to be familiar somehow.) Buggy then shouts.

"Nami, stop stalling and light the canon!" She jumps and continues to look at Luffy. Luffy then starks talking.

"Your hands are shaking." He then smile and I smirk also. "That is what you get for going up against pirates unprepared."

"Unprepared? You mean not being prepared to kill someone like it's nothing? Is that what prepared means?"

"No. It means being prepared to risk your own life." All of a sudden one of buggy's henchmen takes the matches from Nami's hands and lights it asking if she knows how to light a canon. He puts the match to the fuse. I notice Nami reach for her detachable weapon. She clicks the pieces together and hits the man into the ground with her staff. (That must have hurt.) Buggy yells at her for being a traitor. Luffy then asks her if she was going to save him. She starts yelling at him.

"Don't be stupid. I just got carried away. I just don't want to become a low-life murdering pirate like all of you! You pirates took someone dear from me. I'll never become what I hate." I frown and hhm at what she said. Something didn't add up. Someone shouts that the fuse is lit. Luffy starts chomping at the metal bars of the cage claiming that he was going to die. I prepare myself to save him. (I might not because of how pathetic he was being at the moment. Buggy tells his men to kill Nami. The four men jump at her and she tries to swat them all away with her staff, but they all dodge it. She then tries to stop the fuse by putting her hands over the wick. I wince. That must have hurt. Luffy shouts at her to look behind her. The four men are coming at her from behind with knives raised. Zolo then appears with two of his sheathed blades out and hits them all in the face. Luffy then shouts out Zolo. The men start whispering. Zolo looks to Luffy and starts talking.

"Always goofing around. First you fly off with a bird, and now you are playibg in some cage. Fool!" Nami starts talking.

"The crewmen he was talking about. That was Zolo the pirate hunter? What is going on here?" Buggy then buts in.

"So you're Roronoa Zolo eh? You must have come to capture me." Zolo looks away.

"I gave up pirate hunting. I have no interest in you." Buggy then starts spining one of his knives.

"Well, I am interested in you. Killing you would be a nice feather in my hat." I tilt my head to the side again. (Feathers? He doesn't even have feathers on his hat to begin with.) Zolo then replies.

"Back off or I will pluck all your feathers." They then both get into a fighting stance. Zolo then attacks cutting off Buggy's right arm and leg and cutting his torso in half clean through. Luffy states that that was too easy and Nami is staring in shock. The men of buggy's crew start to laugh. I slap my forehead. Here comes the devil fruit power.

**Review or comment. Pardon the late update. Will do again very soon. – The Crew ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter Nine

Once Buggy's split body hits the ground, Zolo starts sheathing his sword. The men start out chuckling then they go all out laughing. I sigh. (Luffy's going to get mad.)

"Zolo get me out of here." Luffy tells Zolo. The said person, walks up to the cage and looks at it.

"We can't open this without a key. The bars are too thick for me to cut through." The pirates continue laughing. "Very funny. Now hand over the keys to the cage before I get cranky." I see something move behind Zolo and before I can even move, he gets stabbed from behind. He was stabbed by a floating hand. Luffy and Nami were shouting out in terror for Zolo and the floating hand. The hand pulls the knife out and Zolo starts breathing heavily. The dismembered body of Buggy stands up and shouts out 'the chop-chop fruit'. I slapped my forehead. (I already mentioned the devil fruit. You can't kill him by trying to cut him.) Buggy then goes on to explain the exact same thing I had just said. I look over to Luffy. I can see him shaking in rage. He then shouts at Buggy.

"Stabbing someone in the back. That's fighting dirty. You got that big nose?" The buggy pirates all gasp. Buggy gets furious at Luffy. Nami yells at Luffy calling him a fool for saying that. Buggy then attacks with the knife he got Zolo with. Zolo and Nami think Luffy got hit. Luffy raises his head and shows that he caught it with his teeth. The knife breaks.

"I swear I am going to clobber you." Buggy starts laughing then says that Luffy is about to die. Luffy retorts back and says he not. Luffy then shouts at Zolo to run. Zolo looks at Luffy like he is crazy.

"What? I'm not going anywhere. We are trying to save you. They'll kill you the moment we go!" Zolo then sees Luffy smiles. He then smiles himself. "Gotcha." I smirk. (I guess I better move.) Zolo then starts running. Buggy attempts to stop him from leaving but Zolo deflects his attacks. Zolo reaches the big canon and flips it so it is pointing at the buggy pirates. The said pirates, including the captain, start freaking out. Zolo then yells at Nami to light the fuse, which she does. I teleport to the top of the canon's barrel just as it fires. (I get to see people get hit with a canon ball. Hehehe.) The whole back of the Mayor's house blows up. I look back to our group. Zolo is hunched over and holding his wound.

"Now's our chance." Zolo then looks to Nami. "Who're you, anyway?" She looks back and responds.

"I'm a thief." Luffy starts grinning.

"Actually she's our new navigator." I smile in relief. (At least he listened to Zolo and got a navigator.)

"What are you talking about? And shouldn't you be trying to get out of the cage?"

"Oh yeah you maybe right." Zolo smirks then speaks.

"No problem. You just stay in the cage."

" You're not going anywhere!" I snap my head to the clearing smoke to see Buggy coming out coughing. I sigh. (I was hoping that he would have died from that. Guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Oh well.) I look back as Zolo lifts the heavy metal cage onto his shoulder. blood starts gushing from the wound.

"Zolo don't do this. Your guts'll squirt out." Luffy says from the cage. Zolo yells back.

"Then I'll shove them back in." I sweat drop. (The one pushing guts back will probably be me.) Nami becomes pale and asks Zolo.

"How can you do this?"

"I do things my own way. So don't give me any lip about it!" (He certainly does.) I roll my eyes. We then leave as the smoke clears. I can hear Buggy shouting at his men to find us. We get about three houses down when Zolo had to stop he put the cage down. He sat on the roof beside the cage. Luffy was banging against the cage attempting to get out of it. Zolo sighs.

"We're in a fine mess, and now we gotta finish what we started." I chuckle.

"You are very correct my green haired friend." They both quickly looked to where I was standing behind them at the very top of the roof.

"How long have been here?" Zolo yells at me.

"I have been here the whole time. Even before you got there to rescue Luffy, Zolo."

"Why didn't you get him out before?" I shrug.

"There was no need for me. If Luffy wanted my help he would have asked." Luffy nods his head.

"That's right, Zolo. Bat does what he wants as long as he makes sure none of us dies. I trust him to intervene when one of the crewmen are really going to die."

"Of course that was the deal we made and I will abide by it."

**Pardon the very late update. Review or comment. Will update. – The Crew ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter Ten

"We should be far enough from the tavern. They probably won't catch up to us that soon. We got away for now, but what are we going to do about this cage?" I sighed and continued along the roofs of houses. Zolo was dragging the cage Luffy was stuck in. Luffy was trying to chew his way out and it was not working one bit. I stopped just as Zolo collapsed right next to a white dog with it's tongue sticking out. He looks at it then leans against one of the beams of the building we stopped in front of. Luffy moves his cage over to the dog and they have a staring contest.

"Is it real? It's not moving."

"Who cares… It's his business if he moves or not. Our business is to get out of here."

"Maybe it's dead." Luffy then proceeds to poke the dog in the eyes with his fingers. I chuckle cause the dog then gets angry and bits Luffy's face. Luffy tries to get the dog to let go of him thus making a whole bunch of racket. Zolo quickly sits up.

"Luffy quit playing around!" His wound then splurts blood and he falls back onto the ground. "Lost too much blood." The orange haired girl, Nami, comes up and sighs.

"Look at you two. Not to criticize, but is the middle of the street really the best hiding place you could come up with?" I scoff at that.

"Nah, they just stopped to let the pirates catch up." Nami looks around for me who spoke. Luffy looks up from the cage.

"Hey it's our navigator."

"I never agreed to that!" Nami yells at him. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me…"

"Thank us?" Nami then throws down the key next to the cage. "The key! You stole the key to the cage!"

"Hmph. Yeah, sure, I got the stupid key, but I left the map and all the treasure." I raise an eyebrow. (Is she regretting it?)

"This is great. I thought I would never get out of here." Zolo smirks and leans against his knee.

"Then the rescue was a success after all." The dog then proceeds to pick up the key and swallow it. All three of them stare at him in shock. Luffy then goes and starts choking the dog yelling at it to cough up the key. An old man then appears with armour and a spear. I smile. (This must be the mayor Boodle. He still has those glasses and poodle looking hair.)

"Darn whipper snappers! Don't you pick on poor old Chouchou." Zolo looks at him.

"Who are you, old timer?"

"Who am I? I am the mayor of this town… that's who!" The mayor then took Zolo to his house so he can sleep. (I can hear his snores from all the way over here.)

"The dog's name is Chouchou?"

"That's right."

"Why's he the only one left in town?"

"He's guarding the shop! I just came here to feed him" Nami then starts talking.

"Oh! So he's a guard dog. For a pet food store…" The mayor then explains.

"A good friend of mine owned this store. About ten years ago he Chouchou opened this little shop. They've got a lot of memories here and so do I… See these wounds…" The mayor points out on the white dog. "He's been fighting pirates… protecting his store…" Nami then asks a question.

"I'm sure this means a lot to his master, but this is just cruel. Is he at the refugee camp with the others?"

"No, he's not. He got sick and passed on. He went to the hospital three months ago."

"The poor thing… You mean he's been waiting for his master this whole time?"

"That's what everybody says, but that is not what I think. Chouchou's a smart dog… I think he knows his master is dead."

"Then why does he still guard the store?"

"This is his master's store…It's his treasure. And I think that Chouchou still guards the store because it's all that's left of his beloved master. I've been trying to get him to the shelter, but he won't budge from this spot. He'd rather starve to death than leave his post." Nami smiles. Then a huge roar goes through the town.

"What's that horrible roar?" She yells.

"It must be Mohji, the lion tamer!" They both yell then take off in the opposite direction of the sound leaving Luffy, me and the dog there.

"Well, what have we here? I'm Mohji, Buggy's first mate. they call me the lion tamer!" I roll my eyes. (Obviously a lion tamer considering he is riding a lion.) "Ha Ha Ha …looks like your friends abandoned you. And after all that effort to get you this far… Captain Buggy is pretty worked up… You guys stirred up a real hornets' nest." Luffy then makes a comment.

"What's up with the weird costume?" (He looks like a panda bear or something to me.)

"WHAT! COSTUME? THIS IS MY HAIR!"

"That just makes it weirder."

"SHUT UP! Maybe you think you're safe in that cage… If so, then you really don't know who I am…" I glance to where the mayor and Nami are watching this play out while staying hidden. I hear them whisper their thoughts out loud.

"Is Luffy provoking that guy?"

"Is that boy addle-brained?"

Mohji then continues his rant.

"There is not an animal alive that I can't control. I can even control that mutt." He then attempts to get dog to shake only to have him bite his hand instead. "You're just a no-body thief… You're nothing to me. Tell me where Roronoa Zolo is." Luffy scowls at him

"No!" Mohji gets angry.

"Then die! Get him Richie!" The lion attacks the cage and it breaks apart.

"The cage!" Nami yells. The mayor shouts.

"That boy is a goner." While Luffy says.

"Horray, I'm free!" The lion then smacks Luffy into a building making it collapse. Mohji laughs.

"Nothing could survive that. well serves him right. C'mon Richie, let's go find Roronoa Zolo. Killing him will give a big boost to our reputation." The lion begins sniffing. "I see… a pet food store. Okay fine, have a snack, but make it quick." The dog, Chouchou, starts growling. I teleport over to where Luffy went. He is just sitting there on the ground.

"Wow! What an impact! He knocked me through that house and into the street behind it. But at least I am out of that cage. Okay, now I'll show all these clowns and make that thief, Nami, our navigator." I smile a how strangely determined this boy is.

** A thousand pardons for not being updated in a while. Will try to get as many chapters out to compensate for not updating. We plan on updating at least once a week. Please write questions or comments on our story. –The Crew ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 11

"Hey! Hey, kid! you're alive!" The mayor shouted when he saw Luffy. Then Nami joined in.

"How could you survive that?" Luffy looks at them.

"No big deal."

"But how? Your body demolishes a building and you walk away without a scratch!? That's crazy!"

"Crazy is good." The mayor looks to Luffy.

"Why did you come to this town anyway? Why take on pirates?"

"I just figured it out why I'm here. I'm after the map of the Grand Line and a navigator." I hear Chouchou barking. I stand up from where I'm crouching on the roof next to the demolished building. Looking back to the pet food store, I see Chouchou trying to fight off the lion. (He's getting pretty banged up, but nothing that will kill him. I'm more worried about the guy and the lion when Luffy finds out.) I look back to the group.

"I'm going back to look for Zolo. I'd better find him before that weird costume guy does." Luffy says turning back in the direction of the pet food store.

"DON'T TALK CRAZY! NEXT TIME, THAT LION WILL EAT YOU ALIVE!" Luffy leaves and I follow behind from the rooftop. He turns the corner and sees Chouchou barking at the flaming pet food store. Luffy stares at it for a bit and then gets this determined look in his eyes and then starts walking in the direction Mohji and the lion went.

Luffy then met the lion and Mohji.

"You! Didn't I just deal with you? You should be dead!" Luffy just stands there with his arms crossed over his chest and smiles.

"It take more than a little kick just to kill me. I'm a rubber man."

"Rubber man? You have the devils own luck, boy. But that hit must have scrambled your brains. You'd have to be crazy to tangle with me, again! Richie bite off his head!"

"It'll take more than a lion to kill me!" Luffy then twists and stretches his arms.

"What are you doing to your arms? How can you?" Luffy grabs either side of the lions face and starts untwisting his arms making the lion spin. He then slams the creature's head into the paved cobblestone road. Mohji starts crying and calls out Richie.

"What are you, you freak?"

"A long time ago I ate the fruit of the gum-gum tree." Luffy said getting up from the ground.

"THE GUM-GUM TREE? YOU ATE THE DEVIL'S FRUIT LIKE CAPTAIN BUGGY!? Okay, okay! I'll give you all the gold you want! J-Just let me apologize and go! Alive!" Luffy's hair covered his eyes, but I could tell he was angry.

"It's too late to for apologies… they won't bring back that dog's treasure! That' why I came to clobber you!" I sweat drop. (Yup, he's mad.) Luffy stretches his arm and grabs Mohji.

"WAHH! You're stretching again."

"Take this." Luffy started pulling Mohji towards him. Mohji starts begging and then Luffy cuts it off with a hard punch to the face. I smirk, turn around and teleport back to the burned pet store. Nami and mayor Boodle stand a little ways away from the building and Chouchou. Nami looked really upset.

"Pirates! They are all the same! They take what's most precious and laugh." Luffy then walks up. "Hmph! You're still alive? I was hoping that lion would eat you!" The mayor looks taken aback.

"Hey, what the…?"

"I out to kill you right now, before you can get a crew and go pillage some town!" The mayor had to restrain Nami.

"Now, simmer down!" Luffy looked at her for a bit.

"You don't stand a chance against me." He then stuck his tongue at her, making her even madder. He then turns around.

"Then let's have it out right now!" Luffy ignores her and continues walking.

"Calm down! What's wrong with you?" Luffy stops by the dog and puts the partially crushed box of dog food down in font of Chouchou. He then sits beside him with his legs crossed.

"That's all I could save for you, boy. The rest was eaten or burned." Nami stood there speechless. I could read her thought clearly on her face. 'He fought that lion for the dog's sake!' I smile. (He sure can make people think twice about pirates can't he.) "You did good! You fought well! I didn't get to see you in action, but I know you did good!" Chouchou picks up the box and starts walking down the street. He stops looks back and barks at Luffy. Luffy smiles.

"Thanks… good luck to you, too." Nami was happy but dumb-stuck by this. In the distance, I could hear people shouting. I sigh. Things were going to get even more hectic.

**Review or comment. Update soon. – The Crew ;)**


	13. Chapter 13

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 12

Nami's attitude did a 180.

"Sorry for yelling at you." Luffy stood up and dusted of his denim shorts.

"That's okay. I know you lost someone to pirates. I understand… not that I want to hear the details or anything…" Nami smiles at him. I turn and see the mayor getting angrier and angrier. He finally let it out.

"I STAND IT NO MORE! I CAN'T STAND ANYMORE OF THEIR CRUEL BULLYING! NOT AFTER THE WAY CHOUCHOU AND THIS KID FOUGHT BACK SO BRAVELY! WHAT KIND OF MAYOR STANDS BACK AND WATCHES HIS TOWN BE DESTROYED!?" Nami tries to calm the man down. "SOMETIMES, A MAN'S GOTTA DO WHAT A MAN'S GOTTA DO! ISN'T THAT RIGHT SONNY?" The mayor asked looking at Luffy. Luffy smiles at the old man.

"That's right! You said it, old man." Nami gets angry at Luffy.

"Don't encourage him!" The mayor starts yelling again.

"FORTY YEARS OF HARD WORK! This place was a wilderness when we got here. 'We'll build our town right here! We'll forget or old town that the pirates destroyed.' At first, it was just a few homes. But slowly our numbers grew. We worked hard, cleared the land. Over time people came and opened up shops. AND LOOK AT US NOW, WE ARE A THRIVING PORT. WE OLD TIMERS BUILT THIS TOWN FROM NOTHING! IT'S OUR LIFE'S WORK! THIS TOWN AND IT'S PEOPLE ARE MY TREASURE! I'D BE A SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAYOR IF I DIDN'T TRY TO PROTECT THE TOWN! I'M GONNA FIGHT!" I hear yelling from the taverns' direction. Knowing what was going to happen next I teleported to the rooftop of a house across the street. The row of house that I was previously on suddenly was obliterated. The debris knocked all three of them back. The mayor looked at the damage mortified.

"My house! It' ruined!" Luffy looks terrified and starts yelling.

"HEY, ZOLO WAS SLEEPING IN THERE!" Luffy tries looking through the dust and debris for Zolo. I shake my head. ( Luffy should have more faith in his crewmates.) The mayor stands behind Luffy.

"Could the kid with the belly-band survive that?" Luffy then shouts.

"Zolo are still alive?" A figure then appears in the dust. It reveals to be Zolo sitting up and holding his head.

"That's on heck of an alarm-clock." I chuckle. Luffy smiles.

"Hey! You're alive!" (Obviously.) Nami shocked beyond belief.

"How can anyone live through that?" The mayor hit his armour.

"THAT TEARS IT! I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE! I WON'T LOSE A SECOND TOWN TO THOSE SEA RATS! THESE PIRATES SHOW UP, THINK THEY CAN DO AS THEY PLEASE… BUT I WON'T LET'EM WRECK FORTY YEARS OF HARD WORK! I'M THE MAYOR! I WON'T TAKE THIS SITTING DOWN! IT'S TIME TO FIGHT!" Nami grabs onto the mayors shirt.

"MAYOR, WAIT PLEASE!"

"LET GO OF ME GIRLIE!"

"GETTING YOURSELF KILLED WON'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING! YOU'RE BEING RECKLESS!"

"I KNOW I'M BEING RECKLESS!" The mayor turns to face Nami. He had tears in his eyes. "BUGGY THE CLOWN! PREPARE TO FACE THE MAYOR!" Nami stood there watching him go.

"The mayor… he was crying." Luffy turns away and smiles.

"It didn't look that way to me." Zolo smiles and joins the conversation.

Things are finally gonna get fun!" Luffy laughs and agrees. Nami then yells.

"This is no laughing matter!" Luffy turns to her and grins.

"Don't worry I like that old man! I won't let him get killed!"

"How can you just stand there laughing? What do you get out of this anyway?" Luffy's eyes become serious but he still had the grin on his face.

"We're headed for the Grand Line! We'll steal that map back, and then we can go there together! Join up with us! You want that map and all that treasure, right?" Nami stares at him then starts talking.

"I won't become a pirate. Let's say we'll join forces… work together for a common goal!" They high fived. Zolo then stands up. Nami looks at Zolo.

"You're coming too? What about your wounds?"

"They got better."

"That's impossible!"

"I'm more worried about my reputation than my guts, right now. I have a score to settle!" He ties his black bandana to his head making a shadow over his eyes. "Let's do it." Luffy smirks and starts cracking his knuckles.

"I can't wait." Nami slaps her forehead, but comes along anyways.

"You two are crazy!." I chuckle and watch from the roof. (Yes , they indeed are crazy.)

**Review or comment. Sorry short chapter. Will update soon. – The Crew ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 13

We were walking along when Nami starts talking. I look down wanting to listen to this.

"Luffy, why aren't you hurrying? The mayor could be dead and yet here you are taking your time. You don't even seemed worried about the mayor." I shrug and focus on the sounds coming from the tavern while also listening to their conversation. Luffy then starts talking.

"It's because of Bat." I glance to see Nami's reaction. She has her eyebrow raised.

"What?" Zolo then buts in.

"Not a what, but a who?" Now Nami was even more confused. She throws her hands up in the air in frustration.

"JUST WHO IS THIS BAT PERSON!?" Luffy laughs and then starts talking out loud seemingly to nobody, but he was actually talking to me. He just looks up to the sky though.

"Hey Bat? Do you hear this? The thief hasn't even noticed you yet. Should you feel insulted or complemented by this?" I don't say or react in anyway. (I'm kind of insulted though. I mean Luffy noticed me a long time ago, and he is really bad at detecting where I am. So having a thief not find me was insulting.) Zolo laughs.

"I guess you insulted him Nami." Nami hmphs. "Luffy should we have Bat give Nami a hint about his whereabouts?" Luffy shrugs.

"That's Bat's choice. He can come out when he wants to." Nami looks between the two and says.

"Is he just really shy? And why haven't you mentioned him before?" Zolo scoffs.

"He is not shy. You are way off the mark. Bat scares even me. He is the scariest person on the planet. Even scarier than Whitebeard." Nami then starts looking very nervous. I sigh. (Zolo don't make me seem like that.) I teleport to the right of Luffy. Nami was looking at Zolo so when she looked forward again she sees me. Nami then screams at my appearance. We all stop to look at her. I have my hands in my pockets and just calmly watch her make heads or tails of this situation. She points at me and starts yelling.

"Who are you? Are you Bat?" I raise my eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure my name is Bat. Are you alright?" Luffy laughs. Nami's mouth hangs open like a fish trying to get air. My question finally registers in her mind. She coughs and swipes off invisible dust from her shirt and skirt.

"I am perfectly fine, thank you. Now I have a question for you?" I look back the way we were heading.

"Shoot for it. Though it doesn't mean I'll answer." She looks at me cautiously and then speaks her mind. (This girl is too cautious. She is hiding something herself.)

"How did you get here without me noticing? And how long have you been here with us?" I look at her and smirk. Then I continue on the path we were going.

"That's two questions." Luffy says then jogs to catch up to me. I can feel the girl's stare into my back. Soon Nami and Zolo catch up to us. (This is going to be fun teasing her.) Smiling to myself I teleport back to my original place on the rooftops as we reach the tavern. I hear Nami gasp. (Yup, this is going to be fun messing with her head.) Luffy and Zolo start laughing as they figure out what I'm doing. They stop laughing as they see the mayor floating in the air being held by Buggy's detachable hand. The mayor then shouts.

"I WON'T LET YOU WRECK THIS TOWN! COME DOWN AND FIGHT ME!" Buggy's arm then twitched and he looked to the mayor. Luffy is there holding Buggy's hand away from the mayor. Buggy glares and speaks.

"THE KID IN THE STRAW HAT!" Luffy then grins up at Buggy.

"I'm back. I told you I'd clobber you."

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT! YOU TWO MUST ENJOY PAIN, BUT THIS TIME YOU WON'T ESCAPE ME!" Nami looks at Zolo.

"Have fun fighting, boys… I'm just here for the map and treasure."

"Whatever." The mayor tries to stand.

"You young whipper- snappers… you're outsiders…cough…not your fight! This is my battle! IT'S MY TOWN AND I'LL PROTECT IT! SO DON'T INTERFERE!" Luffy then smashes the mayor's face into a lamppost nearby. Nami becomes shocked.

"MAYOR!" Buggy was just confused. I chuckle. Nami then continues yelling.

"WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO THE MAYOR?" Luffy then grins.

"He was in the way." Zolo looks down at the mayor.

"Good thinking… he would have gotten himself killed… he'll be safer unconscious. Nami the starts yelling at Luffy.

"YOU'RE TOO RECKLESS!" Luffy ignores her and turns to Buggy and his crew.

"HEY YOU! BIG NOSE!" Buggy and his crew, Nami and Zolo all looked at Luffy shocked. I see their faces and burst out laughing. I nearly fell off the roof because their faces where so hilarious. Buggy then becomes furious.

"KILL HIM! GIVE 'IM THE BUGGY BALL! FIRE!" Nami then yells at Luffy while trying to get out of the way.

"YOU IDIOT! DON'T YOU KNOW WHEN TO SHUT UP!" Zolo tries to warn Luffy.

"LUFFY GET OUT OF THE WAY! YOU'RE GONNA GET HIT!" (At least he has one concerned crew mate.) Luffy smirks as it zooms closer.

"That measly cannonball's not going to work on me!" Luffy sucks in a whole bunch of air and blows up like a balloon effectively catching the Buggy ball. Nami looks on shocked. (Lets hope she won't be in a permanent state of shock from this day alone.) The Buggy pirates start shouting.

"What the heck is that guy?"

"He took a direct hit from a Buggy ball!" Luffy then bounced the ball back at them. "And he bounced it back!" Zolo holds his head and grimaces.

"You could have at least told us what you where planning." The whole tavern then explodes. (At least I get to see people blow up this time.) I smile. Luffy puts his knocked off hat back on his head and smiles at his accomplishment.

"That evens the odds a little! Let's get 'em." Nami sat there kneeling and yelled at Luffy.

"What are you!?" Zolo sighs.

"Made me worry for nothing…" I smirk. (This day is not even over by a long shot.)

**Review or comment. Update soon. –The Crew ;)**


	15. Chapter 15

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 14

Luffy and Zolo stood there as Nami sat looking at the destroyed tavern. The mayor was lying unconscious nearby. The Buggy pirates lay scattered in the rubble knocked out. Nami stands up and speaks.

"Wow. I thought there was something strange about you… I mean, you did pile-drive a lion. What kind of human being could do that!? How can you inflate yourself like a balloon?" Luffy had sparkles in his eyes.

"That was the gum-gum-balloon!" Nami's teeth spontaneously became sharper when she got angry and yelled at Luffy.

"BUT HOW DO YOU DO IT!?" Out of the smoke came some figures. Nami gasps.

"You got some nerve…" Nami looks at the knocked out crewmen.

"He's using his men as shields…" Luffy is smiling, while Zolo frowns. The man next to Buggy is holding the lion Luffy beat up earlier starts talking.

"Cap'n this is the worst disgrace we've suffered since you formed our crew." Buggy then replies.

"I'm so mad I can't even speak…" (He just spoke!) Mohji then comes stumbling out of the rubble.

"Where am I? What happened?" The man holding the lion then speaks.

"Mohji… you're still alive?" Mohji sees the lion and becomes mad.

"Cabaji! What are you doing to Richie?"

"The kitty? I was using him as a shield. Didn't want to ruin my raiment." The man, Cabaji, threw the lion down to the ground. Mohji went to check on his pet lion. Cabaji then scared the lion with just a look. Mohji then notices Luffy.

"IT'S THE KID IN THE STRAW HAT! CAP'N BUGGY, WATCH OUT FOR HIM! HE'S GOT SPECIAL POWERS FROM EATING THE DEVIL FRUIT- JUST LIKE YOU! HE'S A RUBBER MAN!" Nami looks to Luffy.

"RUBBER MAN!?" Luffy pulls his cheeks farther than they should physically could.

"Yup, see?" Buggy narrows his eyes.

"The devil fruit! That's why my Buggy ball bounced off of him. Mohji if you knew that, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!" He then proceeded to toss Mohji towards Luffy and the others. Mohji shouts.

"OUTTA MY WAY!" Luffy brings his foot up and speaks.

"Outta **my **way, fuzzy." As Mohji is about to hit Luffy, he kicks him in the face with his right foot and continues speaking. "The battle begins." Mohji goes flying and Nami nimbly jumps over him. Cabaji then starts yelling and unicycling towards Luffy.

"Buggy's second mate, Cabaji the acrobat! I'll cut'em to mince – meat, cap'n!" Cabaji is about to cut Luffy when Zolo interferes and blocks Cabaji.

"If it's a sword duel you want, I'm your man!" Cabaji replies to Zolo.

"Roronoa Zolo, as one swordsman to another… It will be an honor to cut you down." Zolo's wound starts bleeding again. Luffy and Nami notice also.

"Hey Zolo! Maybe you should rest. Let me handle him." (He should listen to Luffy, but I know he won't.) Cabaji laughs and then yells out.

"The Breath of Death!" He blow fire out of his mouth. I sigh. (And here I thought he was going to use his horrible breath to knock Zolo unconscious. Oh well.) Cabaji then kick Zolo in his wound. Zolo cries out in pain. Cabaji laughs.

"I didn't think I kicked you that hard…" Nami then yells at Cabaji.

"That's dirty! You're aiming for his injuries!" Cabaji the jams his sword into the ground and starts spinning it. He calls it the 'Murder at the steam bath.' (That is a terrible name.) Zolo then talks.

"What kind of circus trick is that? You're just kicking up dusts!" Cabaji then attacks Zolo again with his sword and without Zolo noticing until the last minute, he pulls his leg back and kicks Zolo in his wound again. Zolo cries out in pain and then slumps on the road.

"What kind of man screams like a woman?" Cabaji asked out loud." Luffy watches silently. "Your matey's odd talents caused us quite a bit of trouble. So you're the big scary 'Pirate hunter.' Well this'll teach you to mess with cap'n Buggy's crew." Zolo, then struggles to get up off the stone road. Nami starts yelling at Luffy.

"Zolo's hurt bad! How's he supposed to fight? How can you just stand there and watch your friend get killed?"

"Roronoa Zolo! Prepare to be well done!" Cabaji yells out. He goes in to attack Zolo. Zolo then gets up and punches Cabaji of his unicycle.

"You're a very annoying person… I hope you enjoyed kicking my wound." After Zolo said that he then used his own sword and cut his own wound. Cabaji was shocked, Nami horrified, Luffy looking like that must have hurt kind of face and Buggy looked slightly peeved. Zolo lets out this big breath and starts talking.

"My goal is to be the worlds greatest swordsmen…" Cabaji interrupts him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Is that enough of a handicap for you? Now I'll show you some real sword play." Luffy gapes like a star struck kid.

"Wow! Zolo is cool!" Cabaji then speaks.

"So Roronoa Zolo… you want to make a fool of me?" I smirk. (This was going to get fun.)

**Pardon the very late update. At least we didn't abandon it. Will update when possible. – The Crew ;)**


	16. Chapter 16

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 15

Zolo and Cabaji are at a stand off. His sword dripped blood from when he cut himself. Nami holds her head and speaks to herself.

"I feel faint just watching this." Luffy yells out to Zolo.

"Get'im Zolo!" I look at Zolo. (He seems really pale.) Zolo then starts speaking.

"I can't lose, not even once… to anyone who calls himself a swordsman!" Cabaji smirks.

"So you injured yourself as insurance for your reputation… well don't worry… your wounds are severe. They would make an excellent excuse when you lose." Zolo pulls out his other sword and stands there with his eyes shadowed by his bandana.

"It's the other way around! If I lose to the likes of you with these light wounds… then I may as well give up my dream right now." Cabaji scowls. I switch from watching Zolo over to Luffy and Nami. She starts talking after getting Luffy's attention.

"That shack behind the ruins of the tavern… that's where they keep their treasure. And Buggy's probably got the map of the Grand Line. I'll get their treasure and make my escape. I've got to do it now, while they're all knocked out… whether you guys win or lose this battle… I don't really care!" Nami started walking away. "But if you do get that map from Buggy… Then and only then will I consider teaming up with you again … Good luck boys! See Ya!" Luffy turns and smiles at her as she runs down a back alleyway.

"Wow! Thanks!" Cabaji then starts yelling.

"Roronoa Zolo! Have a taste of the greatest of all my circus tricks!" He then pulls out spinning tops. I sweat drop. (How was a couple of spinning tops supposed to hurt?) Cabaji throws the tops at him and then scale the wall on his unicycle. Zolo swats the tops away. Cabaji then attacks from the air. Buggy then makes a move. His hand comes off and flying towards Zolo. Buggy then shouts orders.

"Cabaji! I'll hold Zolo down! You finish him off!" Cabaji grins.

"With pleasure." Zolo is about to get impaled. Luffy then stomps on Buggy's hand. Buggy yells out in pain. Zolo shouts.

"Luffy!" The said boy smiles and speaks.

"Keep your mitts out of Zolo's duel!" Buggy gets mad at Luffy. Zolo chuckles. Cabaji yells.

"I don't need the captain to lend me a hand to kill you!" Zolo dodges the attack. He gets about halfway up and then stops.

"I've had enough… I'm tired…" Cabaji puts his hand to his head.

"You're tired? Heh Heh Heh… What's wrong? Anemic? So you've finally given up! Well, I'm not surprised… It's amazing that you can still stand in your condition." Zolo then suddenly kicks the unicycle out from underneath Cabaji. Zolo makes this really scary face and speaks in this dark voice.

"You've got it wrong. What I'm tired of… are your stupid circus tricks!" Cabaji then yells.

"Very well! No more tricks! I'll finish you now… with my real swordsmanship! Zolo then attacks with oni giri. He cuts and defeats Cabaji. Buggy yells out his name while Luffy smiles. Cabaji couldn't believe it.

"How could these common thieves have beaten us? We're the Buggy pirate gang- the scourge of the seas! How could have things have gone this far?" Cabaji then collapses. Zolo breathed heavily.

"We're not common thieves… We're pirates!" Zolo collapses also and looks to Luffy. "Luffy…I'm going to sleep now."

"Go ahead and sleep! I'll take it from here!" Buggy then interrupts.

"You guys… CALL YOURSELVES PIRATES?"

"That's right! Now hand over the map of the Grand Line."

"So that's what you're after. Well a couple of lily livered no-name pirates like you won't last a day on the Grand Line! WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO THERE? GO SIGHTSEEING?"

"I'm going to be the King of Pirates." I chuckle at Buggy's reaction to Luffy's very blunt answer.

"DON'T BE A FOOL! IF YOU'RE KING OF PIRATES, THEN WHAT AM I? GOD OF THE PIRATES? THE WORLDS TREASURE WILL BE MINE! SO FORGET IT!" Luffy gets ready to fight.

"Okay. Hurry up and attack me. I'm getting bored." Buggy pulls out his knives.

"You'll soon regret your words, rubber boy! You and your straw hat remind me of him when he was younger… the insolent dog with red hair!" I smirk. (Interesting. So they are going to drag his name into this fight.) I then prop my chin on my palm, which was resting on my knee. Luffy looks shocked.

"Red hair?"

**Pardon the late update. Will update whenever possible. Please stay patient. The Crew is trying their best. - ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 16

Cabaji, Mohji and the mayor were lying there unconscious and Zolo slept soundly with them. I shake my head. (They are like little children.) Luffy repeats his question.

"Red hair? You talk'n about Shanks? You know Shanks?" Luffy stands ready to punch if need be. Buggy furrows his eyebrows.

"Hmm… You seem real interested… Yes, I know him. What's him to you?" I pull out my leather notebook and flip to Buggy's page. A small side note was written that Buggy had a connection to Shanks. Although they knew each other, it was where they knew each other **from **which was more interesting. I look back to their conversation.

"Where is he now?" Buggy raises his eyebrow and grins while holding his chin with his hand.

"So you want to know where he is? Well maybe I know… then again, maybe I don't." Luffy slumps his shoulders.

"What are you talking about? Are you an idiot?" Buggy blows up.

"Watch your tongue boy! We're mortal enemies! You get any information from me without a fight! Not even as a parting gift…"Buggy pulls out his knives again. Luffy pulls his arm back and grins.

"Well I'm willing to beat it out of you." Buggy laughs and clicks open blades hidden in his shoes.

"You'll be dead before you get one word out of me! Not even rubber can withstand a razor sharp blade. Luffy gulps.

"Maybe so…" Buggy then looks like he is about to throw the knives, when he suddenly throws his legs. It's spinning so fast it's like how he named it a buzz saw. Luffy was surprised and then avoids it by jumping over. Buggy then throws the knives from his hands at Luffy who seems to be hanging out in the air.

"Lets see if you can dodge these in mid air!" Luffy smiles and stretches his arm to grasp the lamppost nearby.

"No problem." He says as he avoids the knives. Buggy laughs.

"Not bad! This is getting interesting!" Luffy agrees with him and then throws a punch using his gum-gum pistol technic. Buggy dodges and looks at Luffy's still extending arm.

"Interesting power you've got there! But your outstretched arm… makes a delicious target. I'll just sever it!" Buggy goes in to cut of his arm, but Luffy grabs hold of a windowsill and attempts to pull himself over to Buggy and catch him around the neck. Buggy uses his chop-chop powers to separate his head from the rest of his body making Luffy fly past him. He laughs as Luffy then flies into the rubble of the ruined tavern. Turning around, he speaks out to Luffy.

"You underestimate me, gummy boy." Luffy explodes out of the rubble with his arms outstretched. He then pats his head to make sure his straw hat is still there.

"Darn… how am I supposed to hit you when you keep flying to pieces?" I look down because I hear whispering. I see Nami looking in on the fight. She seems shocked that this fight was actually happening. Then I hear some of Buggy's crew whispering amongst themselves saying that they need to pretend that they are unconscious. (They are smart not trying to get in the middle of this fight.) Buggy launches his hand at Luffy while it was still holding the knives. Luffy catches it, but the arm the separates again and continues toward Luffy manages to dodge in time. Although it knocks him of his feet Luffy sits up and stares at his hat. I sigh. (This was not going to end well for either of them. I can just feel it.) Luffy has a cut on the side of his face and he then glares at Buggy.

"Darn you!" Buggy grins.

"Whata matter? Baby gets a boo-boo?" Luffy grinds his teeth together.

"That does it! YOU NICKED MY HAT!" Buggy looks disappointed.

"So?" Luffy then starts yelling angrily.

"THIS IS MY TREASURE! NOBODY DAMAGES THIS HAT!" I look down and notice that Nami seemed shocked that Luffy was really angry. Looking back to the fight, Buggy then questions Luffy.

"It's that important to you?"

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Luffy yells back. I notice that Buggy's dislocated hand moves and throws a knife at Luffy. Luffy dodges, but leaves his hat wide open. (Yup, this was not going to be pretty.) Buggy takes this opportunity to get Luffy's hat.

"Then you should take better care of it!" Buggy yells. The hand wrenches the straw hat out of Luffy's grip with the knives tearing three long rips in the hat. Luffy watches in shock and horror. Buggy laughs.

"You call this beat up old thing your treasure?" I can almost see the flashbacks going through his head. Shanks smiling and telling him to give his hat back to him when he becomes a great pirate. Luffy then charges at Buggy.

"I PROMISED TO RETURN THAT HAT TO SHANKS." Buggy looks a little shocked and he then throws the hat onto the ground.

"What? This is Shanks's hat? I thought it looked familiar. Shanks and I worked on the same pirate ship a long time ago…" Buggy spits on the hat. "We were both young…apprentice pirates, you might say…" Luffy interrupts him.

"Shanks is a great man! Apprentice pirates… together?" Luffy goes in to attack him and Buggy thinks he will go for the head again, so he pops his head off. "DON'T PUT YOURSELF ON THE SAME LEVEL AS HIM!" Luffy then kicks him in the gut making the other pirate cry in pain. As Buggy falls, he pops his head back on and then hits the ground. Luffy looks at the hat.

"Darn you! You ruined my hat! And you spat on it!" Luffy then proceeded to try and put the spit back into Buggy's mouth. Buggy begged him to stop. "It's your own spit!" Luffy then pulls on Buggy's cheeks. "Don't ever mention Shanks and yourself in the same breath again." Buggy struggled to speak.

"Hmph! I don't know what your connection to Shanks is… but I'll say whatever I want about him!" Luffy gets mad and Buggy attempts to break apart to escape. Luffy chops him on the head.

"DON'T COME APART!" Luffy the lets Buggy up as he explains.

"Never in my life has anyone made me as angry as Shanks did! THAT SCALAWAG STOLE A GREAT TREASURE FROM ME! I'll never forgive him for that!" Buggy then goes on to explain that him and Shanks would fight all the time on the pirate they were living on. Buggy then found a treasure map from the last raid they went on and stole the devil fruit that was on the pillaged ship also. It was worth 100 million berries. They all party from the spoils and Buggy eats a fake fruit while stealing the real fruit for him to sell. Only as he was about to sneak away, Shanks comes up behind him and scares him into swallowing the real devil fruit. Buggy then drops the map and jumps in after it even though he had just eaten the fruit that takes away the ability to swim. Shanks then rescues Buggy from the water. Buggy breaks way from his explanation of his backstory. Luffy smiles.

"So Shanks saved your life!" Buggy gets angry.

"SO WHAT? IT WAS AL HIS FAULT! HE FOILED ALL MY GRANDIOSE PLANS! SO I CHANGED MY PLANS. IF I CAN'T GET TREASURE THAT'S IN THE SEA, I'LL JUST HAVE TO TAKE ALL THE TREASURE ON THE SEA USING MY CHOP-CHOP POWER!" Buggy splits and raises his top half into the air. "I don't care how insignificant a fly you might be… if you put your hands on my treasure!" He flies past Luffy. "I'LL SQUASH YOU!" Buggy goes for Nami who is carrying away his treasure. Nami looks at him surprised. I feel even more disappointed. (This girl calls herself a thief and yet she gets caught. I hope she doesn't need to be rescued.)

**Will update whenever. Rate &amp; Review. –The Crew ;)**


	18. Chapter 18

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 17

"HANDS OFF MY TREASURE!" Buggy shouts as he zooms toward Nami. The girl looks on in shock and speaks out in plain surprise.

"I've been found out!" I slap my forehead at her most obvious answer. Buggy continues to yell.

"YOU WON'T GET THE BETTER OF ME, NAMI! I'LL CUT YOU TO PIECES!" I notice that Luffy had spotted Buggy's lower body. I smirk. (This was going to be funny.) "YOU WON'T EVEN A FLAKE OF GOLD PAINT!" Buggy says chasing after Nami, who is struggling to carry the treasure. The pirate then stops in his tracks with a pained expression on his face. Nami looks on surprised. Luffy had just kicked Buggy's manhood. Buggy falls from the air and writhes in pain. Cry he yells at Luffy.

"Curse you… gum-gum boy! You fight dirty… attacking my lower-half!" Luffy grins, standing there with his hands on his hips.

"Don't forget that our fight's not over!" Nami sighs in relief.

"I'm safe…" Luffy then turns on Nami and points at her.

"Hey! Drop the loot and get outta here! He'll keep coming after you!"

"Leave the treasure!? Not a chance! I'm not gonna to leave my treasure behind!" Buggy scowls and looks up at Nami.

"'Your' treasure?" Nami holds out her hand in a fist and yell out loud.

"THAT'S RIGHT! 'MY' TREASURE! I'M A THIEF, AND I JUST STOLE IT! **MINE, MINE, MINE!" **Luffy hits his fist on his palm in understanding.

"Okay…" Buggy then shouts out in anger.

"THAT'S MY TREASURE, FOOL! IT'S NOT YOURS UNTIL YOU GET AWAY WITH IT! IT'S A BASIC TENET OF THIEVERY!" Nami looks at him.

"The bad guy wants to lecture the bad guy, eh? I don't argue with lowlife pirates!" Buggy tries to get up.

"WHAT!?" Nami sticks her tongue out at him.

"I'd never stoop so low… as to take lessons from you!" Buggy gets this really angry face.

"Then suffer the consequences…" He then separates into even smaller pieces, going after Nami. "AHAHAHAHA! LET'S SEE YOU SAVE YOUR FRIEND NOW, GUM-GUM BOY!" Luffy stands there and watches as all the Buggy pieces fly towards Nami.

"Darn! He's all over the place! How am I supposed to fight him?" Luffy then noticed Buggy's feet. They were walking on the road. "His feet don't fly…" Luffy grabs one of Buggy's feet. "I got your foot!" Buggy yells out as he is about to stab Nami

"CIVE ME BACK MY TREASURE! Give it back!" She tries to out run Buggy. I look at Luffy who then pulls Buggy's foot out of his shoe. I crinkle my nose. (His foot probably reeks. I think I can smell it from here. Yuck!) Luffy then starts tickling the disconnected foot and gets Buggy to start laughing with this really scary. It scares Nami into screaming. Luffy then bashes Buggy's toes into the stone road making a horrible crunching sound.

"How do you like this!?" Buggy grunts in pain, but continues after Nami. Luffy scowls.

"You're a tough old clown, aren't ya?" He then pulls on the skin on Buggy's foot. I wince. (That must have hurt.) Buggy then yells with his eyes popping out of his head. He then swings around to yell at Luffy.

"ENOUGH ALREADY! CUT IT OUT!" While Buggy was looking at Luffy, Nami lifts up the heavy bag of gold and swings it at him.

"THE ONE WHO'S GONNA CUT IT OUT IS YOU!" Nami seems to make contact with his face. Luffy is amazed by her. Buggy then laughs.

"Thank you for returning my treasure!" Nami then tries to pull it back from him.

"Let go!" Buggy stares at her.

"Let go? You let go!" I notice what's about to happen and Luffy does too. Nami shouts out trying to yank the bag out of Buggy's teeth.

"IT'S MY TREASURE!" Buggy's hands had knives that were about to stab her in the back. Luffy comes running up, pulling his leg back.

"Hey! You're supposed to be fighting me! Remember!?" Buggy looks at Luffy only to get a kick to the face. Nami falls to the ground and Buggy lies dazed in the pile of spilled treasure. One of his teeth was even knocked out. Luffy wipes the blood off his face.

"That's for the mayor!" Nami Looks at him huffing and puffing out of breath.

"Thanks for saving me." Luffy looks at her and smiles.

"No problem!" Luffy then notices the treasure map on the ground. "Hey! The treasure map!" Nami looks and finally notices that her gold is all over the place.

"My treasure's scattered all over the place!" Luffy picks up the map.

"At last! It's the map of the Grand Line!" Buggy then gets up.

"Hey… not so fast, gum-gum boy!" Luffy looks at him.

"Humph, you still alive?" Buggy gets mad.

"I'LL KILL YOU! COME TOGETHER CHOP-CHOP…" When Buggy comes back together he is this short little ugly midget. Nami then slams down the rest of Buggy's disconnected parts, which were tied together with rope.

"Is this what you were looking for?" Buggy looked shocked.

"Agh! My bogy!" Luffy starts laughing and pulls back his arms.

"Good job, master thief! Leave the rest to me! Goodbye, Buggy!" Luffy then launches Buggy into the air using his bazooka technic. I sigh. (At least it's over. I think.) Luffy then shouts out with his arms raised.

"I win!" He then looks at Nami with his hands on his hips. "Now you'll join my crew, right?" Nami collects the scattered treasure.

"For the time being. Looks like I'll make a fortune if I stick with you guys. You have to give Buggy credit. He had an eye for treasure. This is first class booty." She hugs the bag of gold. "It's easily worth ten million berries." Luffy goes over and picks up his torn hat. "Hey, all this treasure weighs a ton, so I divided it in two. You carry half, okay?" Nami walks up to him and notices that he is holding his hat. "That hat really means a lot to you, huh?" Luffy sticks it on his head shadowing his eyes.

"Yeah. It's not so bad, I guess. I can still wear it. It sure felt good to clobber ol' Buggy." Luffy then walks over to Zolo, and starts patting him on the head. "Hey, Zolo! Wake up! Lets get going!" Zolo groans and sits up.

"Did you take care of things?"

"Yeah, and I got the map and the treasure." Zolo looks woozy and puts his hand to his head.

"It's no good. I don't think I can walk." Nami then speaks up.

"Of course not! If you could, I wouldn't believe either you guys are human." Luffy looks at her.

"Don't lump me with him!" Nami gets angry.

"You're even less human than he is!" Luff then notices the mayor.

"Oh yeah… I had better wake the mayor." Someone then walks up and speaks.

"Hey, you guys… we're the citizens of this town. Did the pirates mutiny or something? C'mon, you, talk!" Nami puts the bags of gold down.

"The townspeople? That's a relief. Thought you might be more pirates. We'll tell you. It's a long story though…" The townsfolk that spoke before yelled out.

"It's the mayor!" The people all rush over to him asking if he was okay and they came to the conclusion that the Buggy pirates did this to him. Luffy then has to be very truthful and blurts out.

"No, it wasn't… I knocked out the old man out." The townsfolk looked at him angrily, some even holding metal pipes. Nami then yells at Luffy.

"Luffy! They didn't have to know that!"

"Well, you saw me."

"True, but I wasn't going to tell them!" The townspeople get angry and point spears at them and issues threats. They ask if we are pirates. Luffy tells them the truth again. I sigh. (This boy was painfully truthful. It might get him killed one day.)

"We're pirates." The townsfolk then give the order to attack. Zolo breaks out laughing while holding his side. Nami gets angry at him.

"You Idiot!"

"But we are pirates." Luffy then yells run and takes off running with Zolo on his back. Nami runs along beside him. The people yell out to not us get away. I follow along the rooftop watching this very amusing scene. Nami starts talking.

"Why do you always have to complicate things?" Luffy replies.

"These are good people!"

"So!" The townspeople roar again. Luffy grins.

"They all worked up… because they love their mayor! It wouldn't matter what we told them!" Luffy and the others turned into an alleyway. Chou-chou showed up and started barking at the villagers preventing them from going down the alleyway. Luffy looks back and grins at the dog. I close my eyes at smile at him. (He is such a strange boy.) We all get back to the boat. Nami then speaks.

"That was too close! Chou-chou really saved our necks! Why are we in this mess, anyway?" Luffy then speaks up.

"It's okay. We did what we needed to do, right?"

"I guess so…" Luffy spots Nami's boat.

"Hey is this your ship? It's great!" Nami sweat drops.

"I've seen better… I stole it from some stupid pirates." The said, stupid pirates, show up and they start threatening them about stealing their treasure and their ship. One of them walks up and starts slapping Zolo on the head telling him to look at him when they were talking to him. Zolo makes this very scary face and says ow. They all seemed to recognise him and jump back in surprise. They all then jump into the harbour and swim away crying. I chuckle from the top of the mast that I had moved to. Nami had heard it and looked up and saw me. She gave a little gasp then got really angry.

"Where were you? Shouldn't you have been helping Luffy with the pirates?" I look at her sternly.

"And what were you doing during that time?" She looked taken aback by my answer and then she looked over to Luffy and Zolo. Luffy was acting like his goofy self and wasn't apart of this and Zolo looked nervously around. I sigh and look out over the ocean, admiring the view.

Nami's POV

I looked over to Luffy and Zolo and they both looked like they had nothing to do with this. Zolo looked nervous. I looked back at the person named Bat. He had a mysterious air about him. I saw his eyes look over the water and I could tell that he held very heavy and sad burdens. His white tipped black hair blew in the ocean's breeze. The three chains on his jeans clinked together. I wondered if he knew something about me. He seemed like he recognised me from somewhere, I hope not though.

Normal POV

I hear the mayor come running up. Turning to look at the town the mayor comes dashing up the road to the dock. He then yells.

"HEY KID, WAIT! THERE'S SOMETHING I WANT TO TELL YOU!" We all watch him. "THANK YOU! I WON'T FORGET IT!" We all smile at the mayor who was crying with joy. Luffy shouts out.

"YOU'RE WELCOME, MAYOR! TAKE IT EASY!" Later on Nami finds out that Luffy left half the treasure that Nami stole on the dock. Luffy said it was to help then rebuild the town. I smile. (He is such a kind-hearted kid.) Nami then goes on to try and drown the pirate captain. Zolo breaks out laughing and we were on our way to the next island with our partnered navigator. (I have a feeling that things are going to get even more fun.)

**Will update whenever possible. Rate &amp; Review. Enjoy. – The Crew ;)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello everyone. We would like to inform you that this story has reached over a thousand viewers. We would like to thank all of those that have read it so far and to thank those following, favoriting and writing reviews. All of you guys are very much appreciated. Comments and questions are always welcome.**

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece.**

Chapter 18

I look at the three below me. Nami was about to fix up Luffy's hat. Zolo was sleeping and Luffy sat at the stern of his boat looking out over the water grinning like a maniac. Confirming that they should be fine for a while, I teleported to my next place to be. I was already late as it is.

Third POV

A watchful gaze had disappeared from their backs as they travelled on the sea. Zolo and Nami looked up to the mast to see that the older male had vanished. Nami look to Luffy.

"Luffy, just who is Bat?" Luffy turns around to face her and then cocks his head to the side.

"What do you mean?" Zolo then sighs.

"Nami don't ask. All you need to know is that Bat is here to make sure that none of us die." Nami looked over to Zolo.

"Is he really just here to make sure that none of us die? What about his family and friends?" It was Luffy who then decided to answer.

"Bat is here to protect us." Luffy turns back around to look at the sea. "His family and friends are pirates that picked him up when he was seven. He had lost his memory and apparently something happened before he became our nakama, but that's not my job to judge what happened before. All that matters is that he is with us now."

Normal POV

I arrived and landed on the deck of a ship. Looking up, I see the blue symbol of the navy. The sound of guns being cocked filled the air. I look around and see twenty armed naval officers pointing guns point blank at my face. One of the officers then shouted.

"Raise your hands up above your head!" I did as they said. "Now you are going to answer our questions. Who are you and how did you get here?" I sigh and they inch closer. Suddenly a loud voice booms out over the ship.

"LOWER YOUR WEAPONS!" This old man wearing a dog hat came walking up in between a couple of marines making the circle. The marines complied his order, but did so slowly as if I would suddenly attack. The old man glares down at me.

"What are you doing here?" His tone of voice made the marines glance uneasily at each other. They knew something was going on and yet they didn't understand it. I look him in the eyes and speak up.

"There are some important things that we need to discuss." I glance around. "Preferably in private." The old man gives a sigh, turns around and ways for me to follow. The marines part way to watch me go after the old man. The said person then shouts out.

"GET BACK TO WORK!" The marines then scramble about as fast as they can, getting back to work. We head to the captains quarters. Inside there was a desk and two chairs across from it along with a bed pushed off to the side. The old man sits down in the large high-back chair behind the desk and clasps his hands on top of it. I sit down in one of the chairs across from him as his assistant stands off to the side of either of us to the left. It was to make sure he could kill me at any given moment or protect the old man when need be. The old man then begins to speak repeating the same question from earlier.

"What are you doing here?" I take one more glance at the assistant then begin talking.

"I have found out some interesting things that might interest you, if you are willing to hear it first. It will be completely your choice." The old man sighs and looks at me sadly.

"Why are you doing this? You've already had enough troubles, so why carry more burdens that might get you killed?" I look away.

"That's just it Garp. I'm willing to carry others burdens for them. That way they get to be happy and ignorant until I can't stop the events from happening." Garp gives a small sad smile.

"You still are a very kind person." Garp sighs. I then feel the effects catching up. Quickly, I snatch my handkerchief from my pocket and cough into it. Red liquid stains it even darker. I look up at Garp who has this surprised and horrified face.

"Bat, how long has this been happening?" I look at him and chuckle, feeling some blood remaining on my lips.

"It's been happening for a while now." Garp's eyes turn downcast as he stares at his hands folded on his desk.

"This is just to cruel for someone like you. I suggest you quit what you are doing, retire to a small island and live the rest of your life in peace." I shake my head at this.

"It's not possible Garp. I am still trying to find out pieces of my memories from before I was seven, but they just won't come back. Besides, I made a promise to make sure that someone and their nakama won't get killed until they achieve their goal. So I can't retire." I stand up and look down at him. "Garp I suggest you be prepared for something major that will shake the very foundation of this world. It's coming upon us at a very fast pace. " I walk towards the door and grab the doorknob. Without looking back I continue. "Don't worry Garp. My retirement will come soon. So you can rejoice when it happens. I'll see you soon." I hear Garp get up from his seat.

"Don't hurt yourself anymore. You don't need to do this."

"Yes I do." I hear him take a couple steps closer.

"At least rest for a while." I shake my head again.

"I can't stay. I need to get back as soon as possible" Garp then mumbles something and I turn around about to ask him to repeat it. He then comes at me with his fist raised. I was so surprised that I couldn't react fast enough. Garp had never attacked me before, not even out of anger. His fist collides with my cheek and pounds me into the flooring with the impact of a meteor. My vision goes in and out of focus for a bit then goes back to normal. I look up at Garp who is standing over me. He looks at me sadly. That just ticks me off. I glare at him and bare my teeth. The canines pointed like a dogs.

"Garp, don't treat me with pity that just makes me do the opposite of what you want me to do. So farewell." I give him a week mock salute, when my hands are suddenly cuffed behind my back. My body goes limp. (They must be sea prism stone cuffs.) I try to move only to hack and cough up more blood, splattering it on the floor. Garp lifts my limp body up by the armpits and drags me over to the bed. He points at me.

"You stay here and rest for a bit. I'll be back in a couple hours with some food for you to eat. You will be able to leave in a couple of days. No arguments." I just flop down onto the bed and begin staring at the ceiling.

Garp's POV

I return to the quarters in a few hours with a plate of food in one hand and a cup of water in another. (When I picked up Bat to put him on the bed he seemed lighter than he looked. I wonder if he has lost weight.) Opening the door, I see Bat lying on the ground with a puddle of blood below him. He was heavily breathing and his eyes were closed. Putting the food on the desk I rush over to where he was lying on the ground beside the bed. (He must have tried escaping and made his current condition even worse. This idiot.) I pick him up and lean him up against the bedside. He doesn't open his eyes, but his breathing becomes steady and calm. I sigh. (I think he'll be okay now, but he gave me a scare there. There are still things that he and I both need to find out from his memories. Lets hope he doesn't die to soon.) Bat then opens his eyes and looks at me. He then gives this funny closed eyed smile.

"Does this mean I can go now?" I then chuckle at his almost child-like saying.

"Fine as long as you rest here for at least a day. Promise me that."

"Okay. I'll rest here for a day. I hope this means I'm going to be shot by your sailors is it?" I give a full out laugh.

"No. Now get some rest." Bat then promptly falls asleep.

**Rate and Review. Will update whenever possible. Questions and comments are welcome. Enjoy. –The Crew ;)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Good Day my dear readers.**

**Sadly this will not be a chapter update but a question for all those that read this story.**

**We have heavily debated on whether we should continue this story or not or even change it a little.**

**We would humble like the opinions of those that are reading.**

**Thank you.**

**\- The Crew ;)**


	21. Chapter 21

**This is a note from the crew. The characters from One Piece belong to the creator Eiichiro Oda. The characters created by us belong to the crew. Backgrounds and any story twists not apart of One Piece. **

**P.S. We are back!**

Chapter 19

I've been stuck on this marine ship for the past week. (Let me tell you it has been very boring to say the least.) The marines always kept a close eye on me. They acted like I was a ticking time bomb with handcuffs on. It was really starting to annoy me. Leaning against the railing of the ship, I stared out across the undulating waves. A seagull squawked up in the mast. I gave a sigh and rested my forehead against the railing in between my bound hands.

"What's got you so down?" Looking to my left I see a boy about the age of Luffy maybe a little older, lean against the railing and set his musket beside him. I look away.

"It's got nothing to do with a kid like you."

"You maybe right, but you are not that much older than me." He then stretched out his hand to me. "By the way, my name is Mason." The boy had black spiky hair with blond highlights and sea green eyes. He was around my height and the same slim, but fit build. I waved as best as I could, while showing him my handcuffs. He saw the cuffs and his smile faded away to a look of disappointment.

"I see. So you were caught, but why aren't you in the brig with the rest of the criminals?" I chuckle and look at him.

"You could say I'm not like other criminals. It's Bat." Mason raises a blonde eyebrow.

"What?"

"My name is Bat. You introduced yourself. It would be rude if I did not."

"That's a weird name." I smile.

"I guess it is greenie." Mason looked taken aback.

"How did you know that I was new?" I sweat drop.

"You were barfing over the side of the railing yesterday after you boarded the boat." Mason gives a depressed expression and then turns green.

"I have never been on a boat until yesterday. Give me some slack here." Mason scratches the back of his neck. "This is embarrassing." I glance at the boy.

"So what made you join the marines?" He stops scratching his neck to look at me.

"Why I joined? Well I guess I joined for my mom. I have four other siblings at home who are ten and under. I worked at a job for a while, but it didn't bring enough money in. My mom was working two jobs also, but she had to quit because of the kids."

"What about your dad?"

"He died three months after my mom found out she was pregnant with my fourth sibling. That was four years ago. We struggled and I joined the marines for the money benefits." He looks over to me. "Why did you become a not typical criminal for huh?" Mason raises his eyebrow multiple times and elbows me. I chuckled.

"You could say I did it for my father-like figure. Although being cursed doesn't help much in this kind of situation does it."

"Cursed?" Mason echoes. I smile.

"Yeah, cursed with the worst luck in the world." Mason nearly fell off the railing at my answer. I chuckle. "No, that was just a joke."

"Then what do you mean?" Mason said getting up. I stand up straight and slap him on the shoulder as best as I could.

"You don't need to concern yourself with a criminal do you? My problems will follow this old body to the grave. See ya around greenie." I start walking away from the boy. Mason then shouts out.

"Your lonely! I can see it in your eyes." Turning around, I smirk. His expression showed that he wasn't expecting me to smirk. And none of the other marines on the deck either, because they all stood still watching how this was going to turn out.

"I'm destined to die alone. So don't get worked up over a criminal like me. You got your own mom and siblings to take care of. And soon you will have a family of your very own to protect. Nice meeting you Mason." I turn around and yell out.

"Hey Old Man! Get out here and let me out of these cuffs!" Garp then appears and bonks me on the head. Rubbing my now sore head, I look back at him.

"What was that for Garp?" Garp frowns and folds his arms over his chest.

"You are not healthy enough to leave yet. Just give it a few more days." I glare at the man.

"I don't have time to be sitting around and I know it's not going to get any better. Sure it will slow down but the inevitable is the inevitable. Now let me out of these cuffs." I glance to see Mason staring wide-eyed at our conversation. So are all the other marines listening in on the conversation. I slap my forehead.

"Crap." Mason then buts in.

"What do you mean Bat? How can you be so sure?" I get angry and snap at him.

"That's because I'm dying you idiot." Just after I said that, I had an attack. Covering up my mouth, I start coughing out blood. Garp holds me up as the attack continues. Once it's over I pull back. I give Garp a closed eye smile even though I had blood coating my teeth.

"Thanks Garp." He looks at me sucipiously.

"For this." I hold up the key to the cuffs. Jumping away from Garp, I unlock the cuffs. Garp goes after me. His face was all red.

"Don't you dare do it Bat or you really are going to die!" I smile at him as we run around.

"Don't worry Garp I'm not going to die yet. I still have a job to do." I look over to Mason. "See ya greenie!" I salute to the boy and then teleport using my power.

Mason's POV

Bat saluted to me and then faded into the air. Garp shouts out in anger scaring everyone.

"I'm going to kill that boy myself the next time I get my hands on him." Garp sighs and looks to me. "Boy, what did Bat say to you." I blink and then answer the strange question.

"He said he was cursed. That's it." Garp nods and sighs.

"That sounds reasonable. He doesn't say much about his problems and he also wants to shoulder others troubles." A sailor from the navigation room then shout out from the doorway interrupting the conversation.

"Is there a marine named Mason on deck." I raise my eyebrow.

"Yeah I'm here." I call out to the sailor.

"You have a call on the snail phone." Garp motions for me to go so I quickly make my way to the navigation room. Picking up the receiver, I speak into it.

"This is cadet Mason speaking."

"Oh, thank goodness. It's you Mason." I stare at the receiver. (Why was my mom talking on a snail phone?)

"Mom, why are you calling all of a sudden?" I could imagine her making a surprised face.

"Oh, sweetheart. It's just wonderful."

"What is?"

"Oh this nice young man a little older than you came and gave us a lot of berries. It's enough for us to last a long time." I stare flabbergasted at the snail phone. My mom laughs. "I bet you are wondering why. The young man said you were a friend of his that heard our predicament and decided to help out."

"Mom what was his name?"

"Hmmm… he said his name was Bat. I think it was a fake name though." I sigh.

"No, mom that was his real name."

"Really? Well I got to go. Your little brother, Tom, is crying. Call me when you have the time, okay?" I smile.

"Sure mom. Bye." I hang the receiver up and smile. (I can't believe he did that. Why would he help me out and call me his friend?) A hand clamps down onto my shoulder making me jump. It was Garp.

"Don't worry about your family. They will be fine. Bat wouldn't hurt them."

"He didn't. He gave my mom a whole bunch of berries and then left." Garp laughs.

"That sounds like Bat. Helping out those who need it." Garp then sighs. "He doesn't deserve to die for it though. Anyway just be happy and give your respect to him. You probably wont ever see him again." Garp then walks away, leaving me there to watch in silence.

**Pardon for not updating. We will continue this story thanks to the reviews of****ShadowWolfDemon19**** and ****YunisuKozakura. Will update whenever possible. Please review. - The Crew ;)**


	22. Chapter 22

**We are terribly sorry for not updating sooner. Many things had happened. **

**1\. Knee surgery **

**2\. Visiting relatives**

**3\. Car troubles**

**4\. Broken cell phone**

**Just to list a few things. We don't own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. All other characters, backgrounds and plot twists are ours. Zolo will be switched to Zoro. (It's easier.) We will try to update more often. Ratings and reviews are welcome. Thank you.**

**\- The Crew ;)**

Chapter 20

Third PoV

The straw-hat crew made their way to their new caravel. It was called the Merry Go. The caravel had the head of a sheep at the bow, a main mast and a stripped side sail. Luffy thanked Kaya for the wonderful ship. The butler explained how it was run to Nami. Usopp then comes rolling down the hill with a giant green backpack, yelling stop me. Luffy and Zoro stop him with their feet. Kaya asks if Usopp was really leaving.

"Yeah. When I come back, I'll have even taller tales to tell you, only they'll be true." Usopp says and grins. Kaya smiles back.

"Good. I'll look forward to it." Usopp turns to Luffy, who is now standing at the back deck of the ship.

"You guys take care. See you around."

"Why?"

"Huh? Why?" Usopp shrugs. "That's not very friendly. Since we're all pirates, we might cross paths someday…"

"Stop babbling and get on." Zoro scowls and points downwards to the ship.

"Huh?" Luffy then interrupts.

"We're a team, aren't we? Usopp stares blankly for a few moments.

"Yeah! Can I be captain?" He then shouts out and jumps with his fist in the air. Luffy prepares to jump off the deck.

"NO WAY! I'M THE CAPTAIN!" The caravel then gets going. Nami then speaks up.

"Luffy what about Bat. He doesn't know where we are." Luffy laughs.

"Yeah he does. He always knows where we are. That is so he can protect us." Nami looks concerned and Usopp looks confused.

"Who is Bat?"

"Our other crew member." Nami states.

"What does he do?" Everyone starts thinking really hard about that. They all look at each other.

"We actually don't know what he really does." Nami says and crosses her arms.

"Yeah. He doesn't do much, but he is pretty scary in my eyes." Zoro states from his spot against the railing. Usopp then becomes terrified.

"Scary what do you mean by that?" He becomes all jittery. Zoro sighs.

"His aura is something of a devil or a monster, but most people can't tell that. They all think he is very nice." Luffy hmphed.

"Bat is not scary. He is very nice."

"Should you guys really be gossiping at a time like this?" Everyone jumps and looks in the direction of the voice. Bat was lying across the pole that held the main sail. Luffy tilts his head.

"What do you mean?" Bat sighed and continued to look up at the sky.

"Don't we need a pirate emblem?" Luffy lit up.

"Oh yeah we do!" He then dashed off.

Bat's PoV

I heard Luffy run off. Sighing again, I remember what happened before I came here.

_*** I stood at the door of a small house. The walls were a light tan a crusted with salt. The house was located by the harbour. I knock on the wooden door. A small woman in a thin, brown dress answers._

_"__Yes?" I bow to her._

_"__Good morning ma'am. I have something for you and your family." I looked and saw four little heads peeking out around the woman. (Those must be his siblings.) The woman raised an eyebrow._

_"__You do?" I nod then seemingly produce a large bag out of thin air. The kids watched in awe. I hand her the bag. She looks at it skeptically, and then cautiously takes it. She suddenly drops as her hands clasp around the bag. Her eyes go wide at the weight of the bag. She was clearly wondering what was in the bag. Opening it, she gasps in surprise. All the kids then huddle around her. Inside the bag was an uncountable amount of berries. She looks at me in confusion and surprise._

_"__Why? Why would you give all of this to us?" I smile at her._

_"__Your son is a friend of mine and I wanted to help." I bow again and start leaving. The lady then shouts._

_"__What's your name?" I turn back._

_"__My name is Bat." Slipping into the crowd, I then teleport unnoticed from everyone around me. ***_ I open my eyes as the memory ends. Luffy then comes back and shouts.

"IT'S FINISHED!" Looking down, I see Luffy present a very abstract looking pirate flag. (Very unique.) "LUFFY'S PIRATE FLAG! I already had the emblem thought up!" Zoro, Nami and Usopp stand there staring. Usopp's jaw drops.

"This guy is a little low on design sense."

"Hmm… or is it advent-garde?" Nami says with her hand on her chin.

"A pirate flag out to inspire fear. This **is **pretty scary." Zoro states. Luffy grins.

"You like it?" Usopp frowns.

"Your painting stinks, Luffy. Let me try." Usopp then makes a Usopp themed flag. Both Zoro and Luffy hit him on the back of Usopp's head and state at the same time.

"That's not our emblem." They then make a better looking skull and crossbones that is donning a straw-hat. Usopp then paints the design on the sail with Nami's help.

I look over to Luffy. He was standing by a cannon. (This was not going to be good.) Just as I think that, Luffy lights the cannon and it goes off. Zoro wonders what Luffy was doing and Luffy replies that it was practice. He was trying to hit this large column like island. Usopp then come up, readjusts the cannon and fires. He hits the island and destroys it. I look at the long nosed boy. He seemed familiar. I take out my leather notebook. Flipping through the yellowing pages, I find what I was looking for. On the bottom of one page were some notes on him. He was the son of a pirate I know. I smile as I hear Luffy appoint him as the sharpshooter. (He is going to be perfect for the job.) All of them go inside the kitchen. I stay outside and watch the clouds roll by with the notebook resting on my chest. A visitor then boards the ship and causes a ruckus. Luffy yells at him not to destroy the ship and tosses him into the wall of the Marry. The others then come out. It turns out to be that Zoro knows the two. Their names were Johnny and Yosaku. (I know those names.) Quickly leafing through the pages, I come across them. They were a pair of middle class bounty hunters that have worked with Zoro before. I put the notebook away and watched what was happening below. It turned out that Yosaku had scurvy, so Nami instructed on how to cure him with the limes down in the hold. After he was given the limejuice, they all sat around on the deck. Usopp then mentioned that they needed a cook.

"He's right. It's an absolute necessity." Nami agreed. Luffy then smiled and stuck out his tongue.

"Okay! We'll look for a sea cook! What good is a ship without decent grub?" I smiled and then jumped down landing on my feet. The action went unnoticed. Johnny then raised his hand, calling brother, brother. Zoro told him to speak.

"If you need a cook, I know where to find one. But whether he'll join up with you is another matter. He's on an ocean-going restaurant." I smirk. (The Baratie, huh? I know exactly who this person is.) "It's two or three days sailing from here. But be careful. It's near the grand line. Some rough customers frequent the place." Johnny then turns to Zoro. "Brother they say even that hawk-eye you were hunting for goes there." Zoro shows interest. I decide to but in.

"That sounds interesting." Everyone jumps. Johnny jumps back and draws his sword.

"Who are you?" I raise my hands up in surrender.

"Easy there champ. I'm not here to get into fights." I then stick out my hand to him. "My name is Bat." Johnny just stares at my hands as if it was going to bit him. I sigh and let my hand drop. (So much for pleasantries.) I turn to Luffy.

"Luffy, I'll meet up with you there. See you in three days." I jump up onto the railing of the Merry. Saluting, I teleport.

Third PoV

Everyone watches as Bat vanishes from the railing like mist. Johnny then visibly relaxes.

"What's wrong?" Usopp asks. Johnny shakes his head and sheaths his sword.

"I thought I was going to die of fear." Luffy tilts his head.

"Why?"

"That guy is just terrifying." Johnny looks at his hands. "Now my hands won't stop shaking." Zoro nods and refolds his arms.

"I know what you mean Johnny. Bat is terrifying. He is something completely different. Sometimes I worry that he is going to kill me in my sleep."

"How could I not notice him before?" Johnny asks. Zoro looks over the ocean.

"He seems to be able to control his aura."

"He won't kill us because he is suppose to keep us alive." Luffy interrupts. Nami nods.

"But that doesn't mean that we can trust him." She adds. Zoro nods. Usopp looks between everyone nervously. Johnny then offers to show them the way to the ocean restaurant. Nami and Luffy happily agree. Soon they are off sailing north to the restaurant.

**Another chapter will be put out soon. Till then. – The Crew ;)**


	23. Chapter 23

**One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda. Everything else is created by us. Enjoy, Rate and review. **

**\- The Crew ;)**

Chapter 21

Bat's PoV

I arrived at the Baratie. Unfortunately, I ended up in the kitchen instead on at the front door. (Whoops.) All the chefs turn in surprise at my sudden appearance. The head chef and owner came up. He was wearing a ridiculously tall hat. His orange haired mustache was braided and he had a wooden peg leg.

"Well, what do we have here?" I smirk at him.

"Long time no see Zeff." The peg-legged chef laughed. All the other chef watched on in surprise. Then a tall blonde boy came up dressed in all black. His hair was covering his left eye and he had a curly eyebrow. I continue smirking.

"Well if it isn't little squirt. How it going?" The boy blows up and gets angry.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! MY NAME IS SANJI. SAN-JI! GOT THAT?" I raise my hands up in surrender.

"Fine. Fine, I got it." Zeff then kicks Sanji.

"Be nice to Bat. Haven't you ever heard the term, respect your elders?" The chef scolds the boy. I laugh.

"Take it easy on him Zeff. He probably doesn't remember me very well. It's been nine years since we've met." The chef humphs and turns away from the boy and back to me.

"So what's got you back here after a long time? Are you trying to rekindle old friendships?" Zeff's face got more serious. "Or is there something going on that I have the possibility of knowing about?" I sigh and cover my eyes with my hand.

"Why do you always jump to conclusions like that?"

"You always bring news of some sort with you. So how can I not assume?" Zeff answers. I look back at Zeff.

"Let's just say that I will have some friends arriving in three days. They will most likely make a big entrance. Well one of them will any ways. So I decided to just drop by early that's all." Zeff sighed.

"You can bunk with Sanji." His eyes become dark and scary. Zeff then pokes me in the side. I try to avoid it, but end up getting lightly kicked by his peg leg. I wince and he ends up poking me in the ribs anyway. "You are also going to eat. No ifs, ands, or buts." I sigh.

"You got me this time I guess." Zeff smiles and pats my back.

"Good boy. Now come have lunch with me and Sanji." Zeff turns to the still staring cooks. "All of you, GET BACK TO WORK." Which they quickly did. I chuckle. (Still same old Zeff.) All three of us sat down at a table in the resting area of the restaurant for the cooks. Sanji watches me silently. Zeff clasps his hands together and leans on the table.

"Bat is everything alright?" I raise an eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, are you even eating properly since the last time I saw you four years ago?" Sanji looks between the two of us quizzically and then speaks up.

"Umm, but who exactly is this person? I don't ever remember meeting him." Sanji said and pointed at me. I slapped his finger away.

"Pointing is rude, squirt." Sanji slammed his hands on the table and leaned toward me with a scowl.

"Don't call me squirt!…" Sanji came to his senses. He then abruptly stood up, knocking over his chair in the process. "I remember now. You were staying with Zeff and me for a couple of week's right? You have to be him, because he always called me squirt." I close my eyes and smile.

"So you finally remembered huh? You were what, ten at the time?" Sanji rights his chair and plops down in it.

"So why are you here anyways?" I look at him, then at the silently watching Zeff.

"I already told you. I have some friends coming here and I wanted to see you guys before then and let you know." I cross my arms and lean back in the chair.

"That doesn't answer my question of you not eating properly." Zeff stated, still leaning on the table. I sigh.

"Many things have happened. That's all I'm going to say." It was Zeff's turn to sigh.

"Then tell me this how much weight have you lost, because you are nothing but skin and bones. When I poked you, I could feel your ribs very prominently." I look down at the white clothed table. The weight of their stares could be felt.

"I lost a little weight that's all. It's not because I can't cook or get ingredients, but rather there is little time for me to get things done, so I don't bother eating until I'm on the verge of collapse." Zeff slaps his forehead. Sanji then stands up. Zeff looks at him.

"Sanji where are you going? There are still some things we need to talk about." Sanji's eye was shadowed.

"Stupid." I raise an eyebrow.

"What did you say Sanji?" Sanji clenches his fists at his sides and grits his teeth.

"I said stupid. You're stupid!" I stare at him as he turns around and head over to the kitchen area. Sanji starts cooking food over a stove. Zeff sighs.

"I guess there isn't much to talk about knowing how you are. You probably won't tell us much." I shrug and Zeff gets up. "Well, I need to get these scallywags back in line. So just stay here and rest up. Along with not eating right, you seem to not be sleeping well. There are dark circles under your eyes." I give him a smile as he walks away. Not five minutes later Sanji comes back to the table and sets down a plate of fried rice. Sanji then sits down also.

"Eat." I look at him.

"You don't need to do this for me. I will eat, you don't have to watch over me." Sanji gets angry.

"Yes, I do. If I don't watch you eat all of it, then you might just leave it there or give it to someone else to eat." I smile.

"You really are kind Sanji." Sanji bonks his head on the table.

"God, it sounds wrong with you calling me by my real name. I'm so used to you calling me squirt." I watch him.

"Do you want me to call you squirt?" Sanji sighs and then leans back in his chair.

"I don't care if you call me squirt, but you will have to go on a weight gaining plan for the next three days." I cross my arms and look away.

"No way." (I am not going to be forced to eat like five or six meals a day. I would get sick before I gain any weight.) Sanji stares at me.

"Huh? What do you mean no? You are going to eat, even if I have to force it down your throat. Food will not be wasted here." (He sure loves his food. It must be because of **_that_** experience.) I sigh.

"Fine, but I will only eat three meals a day." Sanji smiles and nods his head.

"Okay. Now eat the rice before it gets cold." I pick up the spoon and slowly start eating. Sanji stays with me the entire time, watching as I swallow every bite. When I was halfway through my meal, Sanji had lit a cigarette. I finished as his cigarette was done. I push the plate away and stand up.

"The food was delicious. Thanks squirt. Now I am off to get some fresh air. If Zeff needs me. Tell him that I will be on the roof." I then teleport to the roof of the Baratie. My knees buckle under me. I sigh and hunch down with my hands on the cool roof. (I made it in time.) Taking the still stained handkerchief, a bout of coughing starts up. The blood soaks the cloth and on my hands. Once the fit ends, I sigh and lean back on one bloodied hand. The other hand on top of my propped up knee with the bright red and rusty brown mixed together on the handkerchief. I look at the bright blue sky.

"How long will I last?" The sky was the last sight I saw before I fell asleep.

Zeff's PoV

I walked over to the table. Sanji was sitting there leaning against the chair. There was a empty plate and spoon on the table.

"Sanji, where is Bat?" Sanji looked at me.

"He said if you needed him he would be up on the roof." I sigh and turn around and make my way to the roof. (If Bat is going to stay here, then he will have to do some work.) I chuckle. I open up the hatch to the roof. Pulling myself up, I look around and spot Bat. He was lying down, with one of his knees in the air. His hand was resting across his stomach, holding a red cloth. I noticed that his hand was stained red. (What is going on with him?) I walk over to him and notice that he is sleeping. His face was calm and relaxed, but something didn't seem right. I kneeled down and shook his shoulder. Bat didn't even flinch. He was still breathing, so he was alive. (Maybe all the sleepless nights are catching up to him?) I pick him up and put him over my shoulder. (He's barely heavier than a bag of flour. If he looses any more weight, he might die.) The cloth falls out of his stained hand. I notice it and pick it up. The cloth was wet and sticky. (It's stained with blood!) I quickly look around to see if anyone else was here. (He must have come up here, so no one would have to see this. Just what is happening?) I look at the dangling body. (What heavy weight do you carry on your shoulders and refuse anyone else to lighten that load?) I sigh and make my way off the roof. I go to Sanji's room and place Bat on the bed. Taking the blood stained cloth, I put it in my pocket. (I'll wash it and give it back to him when he wakes up.) I then leave the room, closing the door quietly behind me.

Bat's PoV

I awoke from a dreamless sleep for the first time in many years. Sitting up, I look around the room. (It must be Sanji's room.) Just as I think that the door opens and Sanji walks in. He had a plate of food in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth. Sanji smirks as he sees me.

"Have a nice sleep?" I blink and then hold a hand to my head. Sanji quickly comes over.

"Are you okay?" Sanji glances down and notices my bloodstained hand. "What happened? Are you hurt?" I smile and look at him.

"I'm fine Squirt, just fine. I am actually feeling better than I have in a long time. So don't worry about me." Sanji sighs and lets a puff of smoke out. He picks up the plate of food he had put down on a ledge at the head of the bed.

"Here. Eat this. This should help you wake up. It's some soup." I smile.

"Thanks squirt. So how long have I been asleep?" Sanji looks at the clock on the wall and then back to me.

"About two days I'd say." I hmm at him and swallow the rest of the soup. I look at my hands. The blood was starting to flake and fall off.

"I guess I better go clean of my hands huh?" I stand up slowly and make my way to the bathroom. I wash my hands under the cool water. Once all the blood was washed off, I splashed water onto my face. I look up at the mirror on the wall. The dark circles that Zeff had mentioned to me had faded to a light grey. I ran a hand through my hair getting rid of some tangles. I then wash my mouth out with water. The taste of iron being rinsed off my tongue made a world of difference. I then hear a big crash and the boat rocked. I chuckle. (I guess they arrived, huh?)

**Will update soon. – The Crew ;)**


	24. Chapter 24

**One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda. Everything else belongs to the crew. Comments are welcomed.**

Chapter 22

Bat's PoV

I headed to Zeff's room. When I got there, I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight I saw. Half of his room was missing and he was sitting there with a bleeding temple. Zeff glared at me.

"This is not funny, Bat." I look away and cough into my hand to try and supprese my laughter. I then turn back to him.

"It seems my friends have made their entrance." In that moment a couple of cooks come in carrying Luffy. (Speak of the devil.)

"We got him, chef! He's the scoundrel!" Luffy apoligises and then notices Zeff's peg-leg.

"Ahhh! I BLEW OFF YOUR FOOT!?" I shake my head.

"No, Luffy. His leg was already like that." Luffy turns to me.

"Bat!" He shouts and jumps at me trying to hug me. I cross my arms and dodge him. He flies past me and face plants the floor. Luffy then sits up indian style.

"Bat why won't you let me hug you?" I slap my forehead.

"Luffy, there is no reason for you to hug me. That's why I won't let you hug me. Now why don't you talk to Zeff about why you made a giant hole in his restaurant." Luffy pouted and then got up and sat on the edge of Zeff's bed. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Zeff looking at me strangely. (I have a feeling things are going to get very troublesome.) Luffy then discusses with Zeff on how to pay it off when he doesn't have any berries. Zeff says he has to work without pay for one year. I sigh and lean against the intact wall with my arms crossed. (This boy won't last a week. He can't do anything in a kitchen or busing tables for that matter.) Luffy proposes that he can work for one week. They then get into an argument over it. Zeff then offers a quick way out. It was that Luffy would give him one of his legs. (What is he going to do with a leg? It's not like it'll be useful.) Luffy promphtly refuses and says that Zeff is crazy. Zeff gets angry and then kick him and Luffy through the floor. I chuckle. (There is never a dull moment with Luffy around. How am I supposed to get any peace and quiet around here?) Standing up off the wall, I make way downstairs. I stop on the stairwell when I see that a fight has broken out. Sanji was being held back by some cooks. A naval marine officer was lying on the floor beaten and bloody. Luffy and Zeff were arguing over the hole in the ceiling. The cooks then asked for Zeff to stop Sanji. They talk about him attacking clients again, and then Zeff then proceeds to kick Sanji in the face. (Ouch!) I lean on the railing of the stairwell, and watch as this whole scene plays out. Sanji, Zeff and their other cook Patty stood there arguing when one of the soldier come rushing in.

"Lt. Fullbody it's terrible!" The soldier was injured and bleeding. "Sorry sir. He got away from the ship's brig!" Luffy then decides to chime in.

"This is a mad house." I chuckle when I hear that. (He's the one who brought the mad house.) The soldier then continued.

"That pirate of Krieg's escaped! We wanted to question him, but he beat up seven of us and got away!" Lt. Fullbody shouted in surprise.

"IMPOSSIBLE! When we captured him three days ago he was half dead from starvation, and we haven't fed him!" This causes the customers to go in a frenzy of whispers. The soldier is then shot in the back and falls to the ground. All the customers then run to the back of the restaurant. The man then sits down at one of the tables with his left leg on top, and demands food. Patty goes up and welcomes him, while insulting him at the same time. The pirate asks for food again and Patty asks if he had money to pay for it. In answer to the question, the pirate held the pistol to Patty's head and asks if he takes lead. Patty then proceeds to beat him up with the customers cheering in the background. (I bet they are only here to see battles between the cooks and pirates.) The pirate is kicked out and Lt. Fullbody sneaks away. Sanji comes up the stairs and passes me to get into the kitchen. I follow him. He makes the same meal he made me and then heads back outside. Going out onto the balcony above them, I sit on the railing beside Luffy. We both watch as Sanji gives the food to the pirate. The man gobbles up the food and cries at the same time saying that he has never tasted anything so good in his life before. Luffy chuckles. I look over to him.

"I've found you. My cook." He states. I smile and look to the sky. (Hopefully things are looking up.) Luffy then shouts out to them.

"You sure got lucky! That food saved you! You darn neared starved!" He laughs. "Hey Mr. Cook! Join us! Be the cook for my pirate crew!" Sanji and the pirate look at him in disbelief. Luffy laughed and jumped down and sat indian style on the railing below. I jump down after him.

"You're… a pirate? Why did you attack us?" Sanji asks.

"It was an accident. A stray cannonball launched in self- defence." Luffy answered.

"That makes no sense." Sanji said.

"I agree." I lean against the railing and cross my arms.

"Well you better watch yourself around here. Chef Zeff used to cook for a famous pirate. Baratie is the old ratbag's treasure. And the cooks who flock here are all hot – blooded pirate types. For a place frequented by pirates, they're the perfect for the job."

"Yeah, this is a nut house." Luffy chimes in. Sanji continues.

"One grows used to it. Some people come just to see the pirates and the cooks go at it." (That's what I thought.) "But the waiters got scared and jumped ship."

"So that's why he wants me to work for a year. Anyway, you should sail with me." Sanji looks at him.

"I decline. I've got a good reason for staying here"

"No! I decline!" Luffy and Sanji then get into a small argument about wether he was joining the crew or not. The pirate then buts in.

"I'm Gin, one of Krieg's pirates. If you're really a pirate, what's your prize?" Luffy grins.

"I'm after the One Piece! I'm going to the Grand Line." Gin looks at him.

"If you don't have a cook, you must not have much of a crew yet." Luffy points to Sanji.

"This guy makes five."

"DON'T COUNT ME! Besides, what about Bat? Isn't he your crewman too?" Sanji looks to me for answers. I shake my head.

"I had a pirate crew. I'm not joining any others, not even the one I was in before that. I'm strictly here on a promise made ten years ago that's all." Sanji looks puzzled. Gin continues.

"You don't seem like the bad sort, so I'll give you a word of warning. Whatever you do don't go to the Grand Line. You're young. Don't rush to your doom. The seas are vast. The Grand Line is just one narrow route. There are plenty of safer waters to plunder."

"Hmm really? Do you know a lot about the Grand Line?" Luffy asks Gin. Gin puts his hands to his head and slumps down.

"Not much…hardly anything at all. But enough so it scares me!"

"You're rather chicken for one of Krieg's men." Sanji states.

"Who's Krieg?" I sigh and decide to answer Luffy's question. I turn to him as I take out my trusty leather notebook. Flipping through the pages, I get to Don Krieg's page.

"Luffy, Krieg is considered the strongest pirate in the East Blue. He controls 50 pirate crews and commands 5,000 pirates. He has a special type of fighting style and I found out that he had recently just left for the Grand Line with his entire crew. " Luffy nods his head. I sigh. (He doesn't understand any of that.) Gin looks at me.

"How do you all that stuff?" I shut my notebook with a snap and put it away.

"I know it because I like to keep on top of things. That way things will become easier down the road." Gin just raises an eyebrow in confusion.

"I didn't understand any of that. So I'll ask you this. You said you were a pirate?" I nod.

"Still am."

"Okay. How long have you been a pirate? And why aren't you apart of his crew?" Gin asked pointing to Luffy.

"I'll answer one of those questions." Sanji looks at me with his visable eyebrow raised.

"Why not answer them both?" Luffy then speaks up.

"Because that is how Bat is. He only will say what he wants to say. He won't tell us anything willingly without us asking." I smile at Luffy.

"Luffy you make it seem like I'm keeping secrets. Anyway…" I turn to Gin. He looks at me waiting for an answer. "I have been a pirate for 14 years." Gin looked shocked.

"Fourteen years? Really?" I nod. Luffy then pipes in.

"Yeah and he's already been to the Grand Line!" Sanji and Gin both look back at me in shock. I sigh. It was Sanji's turn to talk.

"You've been to the Grand Line? For how long? How many times?" I hold up a hand to stop his train of questions. His mouth closes instantly.

"Yes, I have been on the Grand Line. Many times actually. For how long, depends on the journey." Gin sighs and then hops onto a small boat. I notice Zeff come out onto the upper balcony. I grin and turn my head to the side to watch Gin.

"Well…just thought I'd warn you."

"I'm going to the Grand Line anyway." Gin laughs at Luffy's comment.

"Do what you want kid. How you throw away your life is your business." Gin looks to Sanji "Sanji… My thanks. You saved my life. That grub was fine. Can I come and eat again?" Gin asks smiling. Sanji grins.

"Anytime."

"CHORE BOY! THERE YOU ARE!" I look up. Zeff noticed the plate.

"Good luck, Gin." Sanji says. Gin grabs a hold of his stripped headband.

"You're gonna catch heck now for giving me that free meal. Sanji then throws the plate and utensils into the ocean.

"Free meal? Where's the proof?" Sanji says and holds his hands up in the air.

"Sanji! Chore boy! Get back to work! Bat I need to talk to you." I walk back inside with the others and then head up the stairs to a waiting Zeff.

"What do you want to talk about?" Zeff hmphs and reaches into his pocket. I raise an eyebrow. (What is this about?) He pulls out a white handkerchief. I blink in surprise, then quickly rifle through my pockets. My handkerchief was gone. I look at Zeff. (That means that he saw the blood. Who else saw it?) I took the clean cloth from him. The Whitebeard insignia was the only design and colour on the handkerchief.

"I took the liberty of cleaning it for you while you were out cold. I didn't tell anyone on this ship, and I won't pry you for information. This is a personal issue of yours. I can tell that you want to deal with this alone." He puts a hand on my shoulder. "But if you need anyone to talk to, there are plenty who are willing to listen. Even that stupid chore boy of a captain." I chuckle.

"Thanks."

"Bat, just to let you know. I have no objections to you kidnapping Sanji to be the cook for your crew." I shake my head.

"No need to go that far and besides I don't get to decide if they are the new crewmembers. That's Luffy's job. Anyways, I've decided to rest before things get even more chaotic." Zeff smiled.

"Good for you. Now go rest." I wave at him and head for the roof. (Better enjoy this time while I can.)

**Will update soon. Enjoy. – The Crew ;)**


	25. Chapter 25

**One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda. Everything else belongs to the crew. Comments or reviews are welcome.**

**\- The Crew ;)**

Chapter 23

Two days after relatively being calm, trouble started. Don Krieg arrived in a tattered and broken down ship. I was sitting on the roof when the huge galleon arrived. Sighing, I bow my head. (This was going to turn out to be a big mess soon.) I slowly stand up and hear my knees pop in satisfaction of finally moving. (I'm getting pretty old, even though I'm only 21.) I smirk. (Maybe I won't have a heart attack before I'm 25, but knowing Luffy, I just might have one before even getting to the Grand Line.) Opening the hatch to the roof, I go down and head to where all the noise was coming from. I stop in the middle of the spiralling stairwell and lean against the railing. Sanji was giving some food and liquor to Don Krieg, who thanks him and starts eating. The other cooks start yelling at Sanji that Don Krieg was two-faced and tricks both the navy and the towns he pillages. Don Krieg than attacked Sanji, sending him skidding across the floor. Gin protests against Don Krieg for doing that. Don Krieg hurts Gin to make him shut up and then goes on to claim that the restaurant was now his. The customers then fled. One of chefs refuses to allow the ship to be taken from them. Don Krieg then orders all the chiefs to prepare 100 meals for the men still alive on his destroyed ship. By this time Patty had woken from and asked what was going on and where Sanji was going. I smirk. (This was going to be interesting.)

"The kitchen of course. We've got a hundred meals to prepare." Sanji replies to Patty's question. The chefs look at him in shock and then pull out their pistols on him.

"Are you Krieg's dog, Sanji? We can't let you into the kitchen. WE'RE NOT GOING ALONG WITH THIS. IT'S AN OUTRAGE!" One of the chefs stated. Sanji raises his arms outwards.

"If you want to stop me… fire. I know… they're unredeemable villains. But my job is to feed people, not to judge them. It gets too complicated. If a man is hungry, I feed him! That's a cook's job." Patty then hits him on the back of his head. He orders the other chefs to hold Sanji down.

"Sanji, I know you feed the people I chase off. Maybe you're right to do that sometimes. But this time, you're wrong! Now you keep still. I'm going to defend this restaurant! He may be don Krieg, but he's just one man. He can't beat all of us! This is Baratie! We deal with rowdy pirates everyday. And we know what kind of customer service to give them!" Patty pulls out the lobster cannon and fires a cannonball straight at Don Krieg. All the chefs believe that he was done for good, then the smoke clears and Don Krieg stands there unscathed in his steel armour. Patty has all of them rush Don Krieg, who then fires the guns that were hidden under his armour. The chefs are all lying on the ground as Don Krieg yells that he was the best and that no one defies him. I shake my head. (That is some inflated ego for someone who nearly died.) Zeff then plants are large tan bag down, right in front Don Krieg. Zeff then called Krieg and his men cowards after they had been to the grand line. The chefs looked shocked.

"You're 'Red shoes' Zeff!" Don Krieg said in surprise. "Red shoes Zeff. So you're alive. A unique pirate, the captain cook."

"So what if I'm alive? What's it to you? Now I'm a chef exclusively."

"Ha you say it like it was a choice. But did you chose to be a cook or was being a pirate too much for you? Looks like your red shoes days are behind you. 'Red shoes' Zeff… master of the deadly kick, who never used his hands in battle. That awesome leg strength could smash bedrock and even leave footprints in steel. The blood of your enemies dyed your shoes hence your unusual nickname." Him and Zeff then continued talking about how Zeff had gone to the Grand line and had a logbook with him. Zeff refused to give it to him and Don Krieg went on to explain that he was going to take everything even the title of King of the Pirates. (Uh oh. This might not turn out well.) Luffy gets angry.

"Hold it. I'm going to be the King of the Pirates."

"Stay out of this kid! He'll kill ya!" Patty yelled at Luffy.

"I can't. Not out of this!" Don Krieg then spoke up.

"Did you say something boy? Do you want to take that back?"

"Nope. I was only stating the facts." Don Krieg glared at Luffy.

"This isn't a game." Luffy had this mischievous and knowing look on his face. I smirk.

"Obviously." I look to my right as Usopp speaks up.

"Weren't you just listening? The Grand Line was even too much for Don Krieg. Can't we just call it off? Going there is suicide!" Zolo then speaks up.

"Quiet. Stay out of this." Zoro looks to Luffy. "Time to fight, Luffy? I'll lend a hand."

"You guys are still here? I can handle this." Don Krieg then breaks out in laughter and then says that his crew was pretty small. Luffy says that he has two more and that gets Don Krieg angry. Krieg then spouts out that all 50 fleets were destroyed in a week. All the chefs were in shock, Usopp was crying and Zoro said that it sounded interesting. Don Krieg then threatened to kill everyone if they haven't left by the time that he comes back. Krieg then grabs the large bag of food and leaves. Gin was still there on the floor. He starts apologizing to Sanji. Zeff then speaks up.

"It's not all your fault, swabby. The cooks helped to this on us, as well." Patty and the other chefs then start yelling that this was Sanji's fault and that he was trying to destroy the restaurant. Zeff told them to be quiet and then preceded to ask them if they knew what real hunger was. He then told them to leave if they were going to keep moaning. All the chefs decided to stay and fight for the restaurant. Sanji was talking and threating Gin. Luffy was talking to Usopp and Zoro. Luffy says that he would have to defeat Krieg. I nod. (He certainly got that right.) Luffy then turns to Gin and states that he had been to the Grand Line but didn't know anything about it. Gin starts shaking and says that his memories were a crazy fog, but on the seventh day of their journey. Then one man appeared and destroyed all 50 ships. Everyone gapes at him in surprise. Gin then said that the man had piercing, hawk eyes that could kill with a glance. I glance over to Zoro, knowing that this held some sort of meaning to the swordsman. Zoro was glaring at Gin, looking for answers. Gin was cowering in fear. I put my chin into the palm of my hand.

"It had to be him… had to be Hawkeye." Zeff said. Everyone looked to Zeff in surprise. "You said his eyes were like that of a hawk. That is proof enough. But what he did to your ships… it had to be him." (Maybe they interrupted his nap.) The chef's talk about a man who drank too much and his eyes turned red and then caught fire and exploded. Zoro heard that and thought that Johnny lied to him. I roll my eyes. (No he didn't.) Sanji asked Gin if they did something to him, and Gin says that they didn't. Zeff then mentions what I thought before about them interrupting his nap. Gin got angry at that proposition. Zeff calms him down and explains that that is the kind of place the Grand Line is. Luffy gets excited.

"Now I know where I have to go. To the Grand Line. That's where I'll find him." Zoro says and leans back in the restaurant chair.

"You're fools. You'll both die as soon as you get there." Sanji says as he blows out smoke from his cigarette.

"True enough… but don't insult us. The day I decided to become the world's greatest swordsman, I gave myself up for dead. Nobody calls me a fool but me. I have my reasons." Zoro says. Both Luffy and Usopp say that they agree to what Zoro said. (I guess I agree with them too, but I already know what I'm doing is making me a fool. But this is what I have chosen.) Sanji hmphs and calls them stupid. I hear Zeff give a small laugh. Patty then goes on a shouting spree that now was not the time to talk about dreams. I chuckle. Everyone then turns to me. I raise an eyebrow.

"What?" All the chefs, excluding Zeff, yell at me.

"Why are you laughing?" I then shrug my shoulders.

"The way things are turning out is just funny." They all yell at me again.

"No it's not!" Luffy then starts laughing at me.

"Bat you sure are funny." I sigh.

"Of course." The Don Krieg pirates call out their battle cry. All the chefs prepare for battle to protect the restaurant. The huge, destroyed galleon is then split into three large sections. I smirk. (Here he comes.) Everyone, even Zeff watches in shock as the ship and pirates fall into the sea. Luffy dashes outside, yelling that Johnny and Yosaku were on the Merry. Zeff tells them to pull up the anchor. I can hear Luffy shouting outside that the Merry was gone and asks Johnny and Yosaku where Nami and the ship were. They apologize, that Nami had sailed off with all the treasure. I sigh. Getting up from the stairwell, I make my way outside onto the deck of the boat. I stand by Zeff and see a figure in the distance approaching. Zeff then speaks.

"Uh oh. It's him!" I then hear Johnny and Yosaku's explanation of Nami stealing the boat and treasure. Zoro gets mad and claims that he never trusted her. Usopp believes that she had abandoned them. Luffy then says that he can still see the Merry. He then asks Johnny and Yosaku where their ship was. Zoro gets where he was going with this and says that they don't need to go after her. Luffy refuses and says that Nami was going to be the navigator. Zoro gives in and tells Usopp that they are going. Luffy says that he is going to stay here because the Baratie was in trouble. Zoro tells him to be careful. A pirate then yells out that it's him. They shout out to the world that it was him who destroyed the fleet. (It's him all right.) The chefs question that he really did that and that he looked human. Zeff said that his weapon was on his back. A chef shouted in surprise that he destroyed the galleon with a sword. Zeff crossed his arms.

"Yes! Hawkeye is a master swordsman. He is the greatest swordsman in the world." One of the pirates asks Hawkeye why he was going after them. He then answers that it was for fun. I slap my forehead. (He did this for fun? Really?) The same pirate gets angry and fires his pistols at him. Hawkeye pulls out his sword and deflects the bullets. The pirates shouted that he missed, but Zoro explains what Hawkeye did. The pirates ask who he was, but he ignores them. Zoro turns to Hawkeye.

"I have never seen such subtle sword work." Hawkeye puts his sword back.

"Without subtlety, a sword is but an iron bar."

"You split this galleon with that sword?"

"Of course." Zoro grins at Hawkeye's answer.

"I see. Then you are the greatest. I went to sea to find you!"

"Why?" Zoro puts his bandana on.

"To be the greatest. Looking for some fun? Then fight me!" The pirates then figure out that he was the famous pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro. Usopp tried to get him and Zoro to leave because the Merry was almost out of sight. Hawkeye then speaks.

"Pathetic. Weakling. If you're a competent swordsman, you don't need to cross swords to know that I far surpass your puny skills. Does the courage to point your sword come from confidence or from ignorance?"

"It comes from ambition. And from a promise to a friend." Zoro says and puts his third sword into his mouth. "We meet at last. Actually sooner than I thought…" Hawkeye crosses his arms.

"How futile." Hawkeye then pulls out a tiny knife from the necklace around his neck.

"What's that for?"

"I'm not the kind of person who hunts a rabbit with a cannon. You may have a reputation, but you're just a bunny. The red line and the Grand Line divide the seas into four quarters. The East Blue is the weakest of them. Sorry this is the smallest blade I have."

"Better take it easy with the bravado. YOU'LL FEEL STUPID WHEN I KILL YOU! Zoro rushes at him.

"You're a little frog, croaking in your puddle. Time you learned how big the world is. Zoro attacks with onigiri, but Hawkeye stops him. Everyone gasps in surprise and then Zoro goes on a slashing spree, and Hawkeye fends him off. Zoro shouts that he has to win against this man.

"What drives you so? Why do you fight when you cannot win? You're a weakling…" Johnny and Yosaku get mad and start shouting that Zoro was not a weakling. Luffy then yells at them to stop and holds them down against the railing, telling them to control themselves. I smirk at Luffy's self control in this situation. Zoro gets pushed back. He gets back up and goes in for another attack, but Hawkeye gets him in the chest. I teleport to a railing that is fairly nearby the battleground. I lean against it with my arms crossed. Zoro doesn't move.

"You want your guts cut out? Why don't you retreat?" Hawkeye asks him.

"I can't… if I retreat even one step… my vow, my ambition, everything I care about will be shattered. And all my dreams will be lost forever"

"Yes. That's defeat." Zoro laughs.

"So I can't retreat."

"Even if it means death?"

"I prefer death over defeat." I could practically hear Hawkeye's thought on this. I smile. Hawkeye withdrew the knife.

"Boy, speak your name." Zoro prepares for an attack.

"Roronoa Zoro"

"I'll remember it. It's been a while since I've meet one so brave." Hawkeye draws his black sword. "I will honor the swordsman code and send you to you to your death with this black blade – the finest in the world." The pirates shout in surprise behind me after Hawkeye drew his blade. Hawkeye rushes forward. I hear Johnny and Yosaku call out to Zoro. Zoro then starts spinning his blades, and shouts out it's his secret move. He then tries to attack the oncoming Hawkeye. I sigh. (He's going to lose.) Two of Zoro's blades break. The only one that didn't was the one in his mouth. Zoro sheaths the unbroken blade and turns around to face Hawkeye with his arms stretched outwards.

"What are you…" Hawkeye tries to ask. I smirk. Zoro grins with blood running from his mouth.

"Wounds on the back are a swordsman shame." Hawkeye grins like a mad man.

"Magnificent." Hawkeye then slashes him from the left shoulder downwards. Luffy screams out his name. Johnny and Yosaku call out brother. Sanji then yells at Zoro to abandon his stupid dream. I chuckle. (That squirt needs to wake up and smell the sea salt. People just can't abandon their dreams.) Zoro then falls into the sea. Johnny and Yosaku jump in after him. Luffy then stretches his arm and grabs onto the railing that I'm leaning on. He comes flying towards Hawkeye and I.

"The young swordsman's crewmate. You did well to let him fight his own battle to the end!" Hawkeye says that as Luffy zooms past him and gets his head stuck in the wooden planking. He then pulls his head out and falls onto his back. "Don't worry. I left him alive." (Not like I would let him kill him.) At that moment Johnny and Yosaku pull Zoro to the surface of the water. Luffy calls out to Zoro. Johnny, Yosaku and Usopp pull him aboard the boat.

"My name is Dracule Mihawk. It's too soon for you to die. Discover yourself. See the world! And grow strong Zoro! However long it may take I shall await you at the top. STRIVE WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART AND MIND TO BEST THIS BLADE, FIERCE ONE! STRIVE TO SURPASS ME, RORONOA ZORO!" Hawkeye yells out to Zoro. I chuckle. Hawkeye turns to Luffy after giving me a glance.

"Lad, what's your goal?"

"To be King of the Pirates."

"You tread a perilous path. Even more than trying to surpass me."

"I don't care! That's what I'm going to be!" Luffy says and then sticks his tongue out at Hawkeye. Luffy then asks Usopp if Zoro is ok. He's say he's alive, but he's unconscious. Zoro then raises his only sword.

"Lu…Luffy? Can you hear me?"

"I hear you!"

"Were you worried? If I fail to become the worlds greatest swordsman, you'll be disappointed right?" The guys try to tell him to be quiet. "NEVER AGAIN! I WILL NEVER LOSE AGAIN! FROM NOW ON TO THE DAY I BEAT HIM TO BECOME THE GREATEST SWORDSMAN… I WILL NEVER… LOSE AGAIN! Got a problem with that King of the Pirates?" Luffy starts grinning and laughs.

"Not at all." Hawkeye smirks.

"They make a good team." I walk up to him.

"They certainly do." Hawkeye looks at me and raises an eyebrow.

"Aren't you with them?" I chuckle.

"I'm here on a promise only. Once that's done, we probably won't meet again."

"I see." Hawkeye turns to his boat. "I hope to encounter you two again someday." He turns back to me. "Stop by my island once in a while and help yourself to some of my wine. You're more than welcome to it, considering you're the one who told me where to find the specific wines." I smirk.

"There's no need. All I did was give some presents to an old friend."

"Old friend, huh?" With that Hawkeye was about to leave when Don Krieg stops him.

"Didn't you come here for my head? The head of Don Krieg, King of the Eastern Blue."

"That was my intention. But I had enough fun for now, so I shall take a nap." (What is he? A toddler?)

"Don't go yet fancy pants. You've had your fun, but I've only been on the receiving end." His underlings tell him not to do anything. "NOW IT'S MY TURN TO HAVE FUN!" Don Krieg then fires the pistols that were under his armour. (What an idiot.)

"You are indeed a slow learner. Farewell." Hawkeye then slashes his blade and creates waves to come up. I watch as he makes his way to his boat and leaves. (And there he goes.) Luffy got himself thrown onto the Baratie. I teleport myself to stand by Zeff. The others all jump back at my appearance. Luffy tells Usopp to set sail. Usopp shouts back that once they have everyone, then they are going to sail to the Grand Line. Luffy agrees as he catches his straw hat that Usopp had thrown to him. I smile.

"Here come the locusts." Sanji states and lights a cigarette.

"Hey mister, If I chase those guys off, can I stop being chore boy?" I look at Luffy as he asked Zeff. (He is going to use fighting as an excuse to stop working? Smart, but dumb plan. Just what I'd expect from Luffy.) Zeff then agrees to it. I look to Luffy again and catch his attention.

"Luffy, I'm going to go on ahead. I'll meet you in coco village." Luffy grins at me. I raise an eyebrow at his stupid grin. "What?"

"I didn't know you were friends with hawk dude." I sigh.

"Of course we're friends. I ran into him when I first went to the Grand Line. I gave him the very best sake from the ship. Of course, Shanks wasn't very happy about that. Well I better get going." I turn to Zeff, who had been staring holes into my back. "This will probably be the last time I see you so. Farewell, my friend." Zeff hmphs.

"Friends? You were just a moocher. So get going already." I chuckle and salute to them. As I teleport I call out to Luffy.

"Luffy go defeat Don Krieg."

**Will update soon. Reviews welcomed. – The Crew ;)**


	26. Chapter 26

**One Piece belongs with Eiichiro Oda. Everything else belongs to the crew. Comments or reviews are welcome.**

**\- The Crew ;)**

Chapter 24

Bat's PoV

I arrived in front of large stone doors. Pushing open the doors with ease, I walk up to the person I was looking for. It was Arlong. All of the fishmen, then blocked my way. I sigh.

"Move out of his way and get him a chair." Arlong ordered his men. They immediately complied. As I walked closer, Arlong stood up and opened out his arms as if we were going to hug. "Bat, my mysterious friend, what brings you to my kingdom on the East Blue?" I roll my eyes, and cross my arms.

"I'm here to check into something. Don't worry, I won't be here for long. Four days max." One of his underlings had brought me a wooden bar stool. I sat down and crossed my leg over my knee. Arlong then laughs.

"You can stay here as long as you want. Even forever as my underling is fine." I chuckle.

"That is very much like you, Arlong. Every time you see me, you always ask if I will join you, but I will once again have to decline." Arlong grins like the shark he is.

"And I will continue to ask until you do or you die." I smirk. (Time to change subjects.)

"Arlong, how is being a Warlord suiting you?" He only laughs in reply. "At least I tried to ask." I shrug. One of Arlong's fishmen then comes up to us.

"Arlong, who is this… this human?" I raise an eyebrow. (He's pretty egotistic.) Arlong laughs again.

"He's special unlike all those other lower life forms. Bat can be considered family." All the fishmen seem to accept this answer. They all leave me alone for the remainder of the day. I get off the stool about an hour before the sun goes down. Walking down the dirt path, I make my way to the village. Everyone was getting ready to get inside his or her homes. A couple of kids spot me. They come running up, while shouting my name. This catches everyone's attention. They all then crowd around, saying greetings and asking how I was doing. I smile at them all and answer their questions. Ganzo comes up with a pinwheel in his hat. (I'm never going to ask.)

"Bat how have you've been?" I smile.

"I've been fine. I have something for all of you." I bring out a couple of brief cases from thin air. I hand them to Ganzo.

"I don't know how to thank you enough. You've helped us out enough these past four years. When we are free, you get to take anything you'd like." I hold up my hands and shake my head.

"I do not need anything." I put my hands into my pockets and turned away from them to look at the setting sun. "I better get going. Now don't raise attention to yourselves." Ganzo agreed. I walked back to Arlong's base.

*** The next day ***

I sat on my stool as Arlong talked to a naval officer that looked surprisingly like a mouse. (This was beyond boring) Not long after, the mouse marine left with Arlong's bribe. Nami then walked in and came strutting up.

"Ah! You're back! Long trip?" Arlong asked her.

"The mansion's unguarded as usual."

"Hmph...Who'd dare to attack me? How was your harvest?" I raise an eyebrow. (Harvest?)

"Excellent! But I feel a strange emptiness in my heart." I roll my eyes. (I wonder why.) Arlong starts laughing.

"Been reading poetry? Betrayal is your specialty!" Nami grins.

"You think so?" Arlong then shouts that they were going to have a feast for the return of their comrade. I turn to Arlong.

"Arlong so this is the brat you've always spout on about being the best at map making." Arlong and Nami both look over to me. Nami's eyes go wide as she sees me, while Arlong gives out big raucous laughter.

"Yeah Bat, this is her. She is the best cartographer there is, and she is a part of my crew like you should be." I chuckle.

"Naw, there's no need for me to join this crew and never will."

"That's harsh." I shrug at him and glance at Nami. She was glaring at me. I stand up off the stool and walk up to her with my hands in my pockets. Towering over her, I lean down and glare at her.

"What gives you the right to glare at me like that? If you have a problem keep your mouth shut." I lean down even closer to whisper into her ear. "Don't say a word about you knowing me, unless you want to stay here under Arlong's rule. I've been watching over this village for a long time. Don't ruin it for these people, your people. Got it?" She gulps and gives a slight nod. I give her one last glance as I walk past her. Leaving Arlong park behind, I walk along a dirt path that led me to a tangerine grove. I open up the door to Nojiko's house.

"Hey Nojiko, long time no see. How is the groove going?" I notice Usopp sitting at the table staring at me. (Was there something on my face?) Nojiko stands and smiles at me.

"Bat, it's good to see you again. What brought you here beside the delivery?" I raise my hands and shrug my shoulders. I turn to Usopp.

"What are you doing here?" Usopp leaned back in the chair.

"I'm looking for a woman named Nami." Nojiko sat back down, while I leaned against the wall by the table.

"Hate to tell you this but Nami is apart of Arlong's crew." Usopp abruptly stood up, knocking over his chair.

"WHAT? NAMI IS WITH ARLONG'S CREW!"

"That's right. She is famous in these parts. Remember what the boy said about the woman who was like a witch?" I raise an eyebrow. (Boy?) Nojiko leans her head on her palm, and smirks. "Well this is the house that the witch grew up. Nami is my step-sister."

"WHAT?" I nod.

"It's true Usopp. Nami is Nojiko's step-sister and is apart of Arlong's crew. I had just seen her not to long ago." Usopp looked to mean.

"What do you mean? Are you apart of his crew too? Are you here to kill me too keep this quiet?" I chuckle.

"Naw, I'm not apart of his crew. And besides, why am I supposed to kill you when I'm obligated to keep you alive?" Nojiko raised her own eyebrows, but didn't say anything. Usopp visibly relaxed and swept off the large droplets of sweat from his brow. Nojiko then tells about Nami and her's past. Being orphaned, their guardian dead and that Nami joined the crew that terrorized the village. I go through my notes on it and everything fits. I just didn't know her face until I saw her walk into Arlong park. Usopp gets mad and starts ranting at how she betrayed us. I sigh. (That's not it Usopp.) I stand up from against the wall and give Nojiko a small wave. She nods and grins. Teleporting back to 'fish park', I appear halfway hidden behind Arlong's chair. Zoro had a very dark expression.

"I told you, I'm looking for a woman. You darn, dirty half-fish."

"Watch it human! I'll let it slide once, but don't ever call me a half-fish again! We fish-men are evolved humans who have developed the ability to breath in seawater. Our fish-like powers make us far more superior to you! We can do a lot of things that no human can! WE FISH-MEN ARE THE LORDS OF ALL CREATION!" I speak up from behind him with a cheshire grin creeping onto my face.

"O really now? You know what it means to play god? Do enlighten me on how superior you are to me?" Arlong looks back at me. He frowns at me.

"You are back pretty early, I thought you would be out longer." I shrug.

"Something interesting was going to happen here so, I decided to come back. Turns out I was right."

"Bat you are not human so you are not counted." I roll my eyes.

"I'm perfectly human thank you very much."

"Yeah right." I hear Arlong mutter under his breath. The other fish-men hanging around scoffed at my statement. I sigh. (They obviously didn't believe me. Oh boy.)

"A human fighting a fish-men is fighting the power of nature itself!" Arlong stated while pointing his thumb down. A pater of shoes on tile catches my attention. I glance back to see Nami coming up.

"I'm sick of that stupid theory of yours Arlong." Nami makes a disgusted face. Zoro's face turns to one of surprise as he sputters out her name and my own.

"Don't be offended Nami! You're different! You're my talented and esteemed surveyor, the pride of my crew. Your maps are the best!" Arlong says and waves his hand in the air.

"My brain is just different from yours. It works. what do you expect." I grin at her wittiness. Zoro the speaks up.

"Surveyor? Nami? Are you in cahoots with these freaks?" Zoro looks to me. " And what about you Bat?"

"You know this human?" Arlong directed towards us both. I shrug with my arms crossed and smirk.

"Of course not. He just followed the loot. I helped myself to his treasure." Nami kneels down in front of him. "I knew you'd try to follow me, but i didn't think you'd make it all the way here." Zoro had a pissed off face.

"So this is the real you?"

"That's right. Surprised? I'm an officer in Arlong's pirate crew. I was a pirate all along." Arlong starts laughing.

"She made a fool of you! That one even forgave the death of a parent for money. She's a cold-blooded witch woman!" Nami freezes momentarily. I tsk angrily to the side quietly. Zoro notices my action and her expression. "Trickery and treasure stealing are her specialties! And we back her up."

"I see… Well, I never trusted her anyway. It wouldn't surprise me if she was a murderer too." Zoro grins. "The first time I saw her I knew she was no good." He then chuckles. Nami blew out her breath.

"Then let's get down to brass tacks. Now that you know you were tricked forget me and the treasure and scram! You're an eyesore!" I sigh. As soon as Nami said that, Zoro pushed himself out into the water. Nami and the fish-men underlings gasped and shouted in surprise.

"Let him drown." Arlong says. Nami the throws off her shoes and jumps into the water after him. She surfaces with Zoro in tow. Pulling him up over the side of the pool, they start a conversation. I read their lips.

'**What were you thinking?'** Nami says. Zoro hacks and coughs.

'**What were you thinking?**' Zor asks her as he turns his head. '**What kind of cold- blooded witch woman can't stand to see a man drown?**' Nami flinches. '**Well help me stupid. I almost died just now!**' Nami stomps on his back.

"YOU JERK!" Nami pulls him up by his neck. "If you mess with me again you're dead!"

"I wonder."

"All those bandages…" Zoro smirks.

"I ran out of clean laundry. So I…" Nami then punches him in the gut. She walks away from him twitching in pain on the floor.

"What should we do with him, Nami?"

"Throw him in jail. I'll deal with him." One of Arlong's underlings come yelling up and talks about a long-nosed intruder being spotted in coco village. (Usopp…) Arlong grins his shark smile and says that he has business with them. Him and his men leave, with only me and Nami inside the park. She heads inside and I follow. Grabbing a small knife and Zoro's sword she heads to the jail house. I smirk. Nami walks into the cell, cuts the bindings and leaves his sword on the floor.

"Escape! Hurry! Before Arlong gets back!" She then left. Zoro louged in Arlong's chair as I sat on the stool that was given to me yesterday. I sigh and decide to cat nap.

The sound Arlong yelling woke me from my red filled dream. He had discovered that all his underlings that were left guarding the park had been defeated. A fish-men drags a caught Usopp in. They find out Zoro had done this and there were conversations between fish-men that Nami had betrayed them. Nami then came up outraged that they could believe that. Arlong apologizes and then holds up a knife to Usopp's neck. My shoulders stiffen and I glance at Nami. She looked shocked. I sigh and get more comfortable. (This was going to be long.) Arlong tries to get information from Usopp about Zoro. Nami and one of Arlong's higher ranking officers had a little talk. Usopp yells at her that Luffy had completely trusted her and that she was heartless. Hachi then comes and causes more noise. Nami then goes and beats Usopp and kills him in a fight. I shake my head. (Really Nami, really?) She kicks the corpse of Usopp into the water and all the fish-men believe that she was on her side after a few minor setbacks of them finding a treasure map in her room. Of course, Arlong said that it as hers and that she was a splendid woman. I look to the left as a large sound is made. Raising an eyebrow, I smirk. (The cavalry has arrived.) I turn to Arlong.

"Well I'm going to be heading out. Bye Arlong." He laughs and waves his hand at me. I teleport back to the Merry's mast beam and lay down on it. My body relaxes and my mind shuts down to the basic ability to sense things around me. Not to long after that, I completely fall asleep.

I jolt awake to a pounding head and falling from the mast. I flip and land quietly on the deck of the Going Merry. The sun had set long ago and the stars twinkled in the night sky with the moon. Looking over to the park, I notice that Arlong's building was destroyed. I smiled. (So Luffy did it huh? He defeated Arlong.) I keep silent watch until the others come to the ship two days later. They packed up supplies, waited for Nami and then set sail. The pounding in my head constantly reminding me of what was going to happen to me.

**Please review, suggest and comment. Will update as soon as possible.**

**\- The Crew ;)**


	27. Chapter 27

**One Piece belongs with Eiichiro Oda. Everything else belongs to the crew. Comments or reviews are welcome.**

**\- The Crew ;)**

Chapter 25

Third PoV

Everyone noticed that something was off with Bat. He didn't crack witty jokes and avoided any loud sounds like the plague. Right now, he was up in the crow's nest. Sanji brought out snacks for everyone. Luffy shouted out in joy. Nami smacked the back of his head with her fist.

"Keep it down Luffy! All your constant shouting is grating on my nerves." Sanji immediately agrees with her. Usopp nods his head and Zoro gives out a long snore. Taking a drag of his cigarette, Sanji glances up to the crow's nest. Everyone looks up too.

"Do you think he is okay?" Usopp asks. Sanji shakes his head.

"I don't think so. " Everyone's eyes turn toward him for an explanation sans Zoro. "I mean, he doesn't eat any of the food I cook, and there are dark bags under his eyes. I've tried to force feed him food, but he just won't eat it." Sanji sighed letting out a puff of smoke. "I don't know what to do."

"Has he done this before?" Nami asks in a quiet tone. Everyone thinks on it.

"Well he did mention something along those lines before when he came to the Baratie. He was skin and bones and still is." Sanji states.

"What do you mean by that? He doesn't seem to be malnourished."

"That's where you're wrong Usopp, as a cook I can immediately tell if the person is getting enough nutrients to be healthy, and he is not."

"Then how is he still alive?" Nami asked.

"That is something, that I don't have the answer too. We'll have to ask a doctor on that one."

"What we really need is an actual ship doctor." Usopp states as he rummages through his brown bag. "When we reach Rouge Town, someone can look for a doctor."

"That's a great idea Usopp, but one problem..." Nami says as she looks to their captain eating all the snacks. "Luffy has the final say in who is going to be the doctor." Everyone suddenly realizes that and hangs their head in defeat. _(We are never going to be able to get a doctor.) _ Luffy then speaks up with onigiri in his mouth.

"Bat's just a little tired, with a little food he'll feel right better." Sanji kicks him in the face.

"You idiot! Did you not hear what we were talking about? Bat is not eating any food whatsoever. That means he will not get better, he could die!" Luffy tilts his head to the side.

"But Bat said he was already dead." Everyone freezes dead in their tracks and stares at Luffy.

"What do you mean by that Luffy?" Nami asked with a twinge of fear in her voice.

"I already said it. Bat told me that he was already dead."

"But, Bat is not dead. He has a heartbeat and he breathes air like us."

"That's all he said to me." Sanji speaks gaining their captain's attention.

"Luffy, maybe Bat means is that he plans on dying on this journey. That's the only explanation I can think of for what he said." This blew Luffy into an outrage.

"Bat is not going to die. He can't! He promised to make sure none of us die."

"Luffy that doesn't guarantee that Bat will be alive in the end. He may die by keeping us alive. Besides, we all could die on the Grand Line. His promise to you is like a death sentence! You are expecting him to die for you and us on a promise made ten years ago." Luffy grew still. The straw hat casted a dark shadow over his eyes.

"I know that Sanji, but this is something that Bat has decided to do. I can't change it." Sanji looked away guiltily.

"Sorry."

"What is all the yelling down there for?" They all looked up to see a pale-looking Bat grinning down at them.

"We are deciding whether you need to see a doctor or not." Luffy said and gave a small laugh. Bat chuckles too.

"No need to worry about me Luffy, I will make sure none of you die as per our promise. We should be arriving at Rouge Town soon."

"Yeah, if we see that island that means we are close to the Grand Line. They call it 'the town of the beginning and the end'. It's where Gold Roger was born and executed." Nami continued. Luffy grabbed his hat the prevent it from blowing away in the wind.

"The place where the Pirate King died." He spoke in awe as the island came into view. Nami grinned at him and brushed back her hair.

"You want to go there?" Bat grinned from uptop.

"Captain, it's your call." Luffy laughed and jumped up.

"LET"S GO!" With that they went to the town of the beginning and the end.

Bat's PoV

(Phew. That was a close one. At least I got them to focus on something besides myself. Now There is something I need to check up on.) I looked down at the Straw Hat pirates. They all showed various stages of excitement to go to this famous town. I chuckle again at their antics and teleport to my next destination.

I hack and cough at how far I have traveled. A thin line of blood trailed out of my mouth as I straightened up to look at my surroundings. I was standing on a sandy beach with the treeline five feet away. Hearing shouts, I head deeper into the island. Making my way through the underbrush, I walk into a clearing full of Red Haired pirates. They glance at me then go back to what they were doing. Going towards Shanks, I spot Hawkeye coming from the opposite direction. I smirk at the circumstances. (This was going to be interesting.)

"Hawkeye, this is unexpected. I'm in a bad mood. You here to challenge me?" I raise an eyebrow. (Bad mood? He is probably just really hungover. Stupid red-headed pirate.)

"Humph. I don't challenge one armed has-bens. I've found an interesting pirate," Hawkeye holds up the wanted poster of Luffy grinning and waving, "He reminded me of a story you told me long ago. About a boy in some little village…" Shanks takes the poster and stares at it intently.

"WHAT? NO WAY!" All his crewmen freeze and look to their captain. Shanks gives this evil delighted grin, "So you're here Luffy." Shanks orders his men to break out the rum, because they were going to party. I sigh. Walking up to Shanks, I take the paper from his hand causing him to finally notice me.

"Bat! When did you get here?" His eyes dart to the now drying blood that had trailed down my chin and then back to my eyes. I shrug.

"Been here for a while, just didn't say anything." Shanks stand up and wraps his one arm around my shoulder.

"Bat, my boy, what have you been up too since you left us five years ago?"

"A lot of things to say the least, but now I'm going along with Luffy and his crew. Shanks blinked at me.

"Why are with Luffy?" I raise my eyebrow again at him.

"Don't tell me you forgot Shanks. Remember the promise you made for me ten years ago, that _**I **_would go with them and make sure that none of them die?" Suddenly it dawned on him and looked away in embarrassment.

"Oh yeah… Now I remember, boy it sure has been a long time hasn't it?" I shrug.

"I guess so, but I just don't care to remember anymore." Shanks looks back at me.

"What do you mean by that?" I sigh as the red head bores holes into my skull demanding me to tell him.

"What I mean is that it doesn't matter to me whether it is five or fifty years. Reminiscing about the past won't change anything for me now." Shanks pulls away, sits down and glares at me.

"Bat is there something that you are not telling me?" I cross my arms and look away towards the ocean.

"Of course, Shanks. There are things that don't concern you now considering that you are not my captain."

"You are really pushing it Bat." Hawkeye warns.

"Tell me Bat. What is going on?" Shanks commanded with a dark voice.

"Sorry Shanks, but this is something that you or anyone else can't solve. So don't even try." Ben comes up and places a hand on my shoulder.

"Bat, we would like to know what is going on with you. We are your former crewmates after all." I shrug off his hand and distance myself from them.

"Hawkeye, I will see you in the future and you also Red Haired Shanks." I bow to them and vanish in thin air, leaving the newer crewmen of the Red Haired pirates in stunned silence.

Shank's PoV

I watched as Bat formally gave a good-bye and then vanished in the air. Sighing, I leaned back in my seat. (What do I do with him?) Hawkeye seemed to read my mind.

"I'm not sure, but whatever that it is. This is something, that Bat knows he can't get away from. When I had gone over to the Baratie hunting a pirate for fun, I ran into Bat there. He mentioned that he might not see me again, and rose the question if he was going to settle down somewhere. But he told me that he was sailing on a promise and that was all."

I had no idea of what that could mean. (If he was sailing on a promise, then once the promise was fulfilled what was he going to do?) My first mate, Ben Beckman spoke up.

"Captain, if I have thought this over exactly, then I can only come to one conclusion. Bat is going to die and soon." I snapped my head in Beckman's direction, then over to Hawkeye's. He was nodding at that conclusion. They both believed that Bat was planning on dying on his journey with Luffy. I shake my head.

"No he won't die, Luffy won't let him. I can guarantee that much," I stood up and shouted, "Now let's get this party started!" But in the back of my mind, something told me that I was very, very wrong.

Bat PoV

I crash-landed in Smoker's office and his barely standing pile of rocks tumbled down. Laughing, I got up from the floor and sat on the couch on the left side of the room.

"Sorry about that Smoker. I'll fix it later." Smoker who was sitting at his desk with his feet propped up looked at me.

"No need to worry about it. I was going to redo it again anyways." Smoker grabbed another cigar from his white coat. "So what brings you here to my _marine_ office?"

"Nothing major, just passing through and meeting a friend of mine." Smoker let out a sweet smelling puff from his cigars.

"That makes me awfully suspicious of who you are going to meet. When you meet a friend it usually ends with a lot of trouble on our side of the field. I get the urge to lock you up this instant for your profession as a pirate, but I can't under the rule that the infamous info broker is to be left alone for saving the marine's butts more than once, mine included." Smoker puts his hands behind his head and leans back even more. "So tell me what it is like to be a double agent." I smirk.

"Smoker, I'm not a double agent, merlly giving help to where it is needed for the greater good." He raises an eyebrow at me skeptically.

"That sounds pretty lonely to me. I mean you are technically working for both sides, so you can't favor one or the other, and have to stay completely neutral. That is just plain sad. I expected you to be different. What a let down." Smoker then sits up and leans forward onto his desk. "I can already predict how you are going to die." I stare at him with a blank face. "You my pirate broker friend, with be forced to die for both sides at the same time to ensure that there is peace, as you stated '**for the greater good**'. I stand up and cross my arms over my chest. Opening my mouth to speak, I am interrupted by a marine officer barging into Smoker's office.

"Sir! Captain Smoker! Terrible news! Pirates are causing a disturbance at the execution platform! The pirates are…" The soldier grows pale as he sees the he had just interrupted a meeting Smoker was having with a guest. Smoker gets up and starts heading towards the door.

"Well, what's going on?" I follow behind Smoker and the officer as we walk through the halls.

Smoker then remembers what the officer said and ordered for squadrons to go to the port and the execution platforms so they can catch these pirates. As we get outside a little girl was running up with ice cream. I speed up a bit so I was just a little behind him. The girls ice cream lands on Smoker's pants and I turn away so he wouldn't see my smirk, but it fails. He glares at me and the father of the little girl takes it that Smoker is angry at her. He begs for him to forgive his daughter. I look down her and she is just about on the verge of tears. I catch Smoker's attention, then turn to the girl.

"You take care of Tashi, who's coming up, I'll take care of this." Smoker hnmed in response. I kneel down to the girl's height. I smiled at her.

"Hello sweetheart, what's your name?" The girl looks at me.

"Analise." I grin even bigger.

"Well Analise, everything is going to be okay." I gently take one of her hands and place multiple berries into her hands. "Since Mr. Smoker's mean pants had eaten your ice cream, now you can get five scoops this time." I hear Smoker yelling at Tashigi in the background. The girl looks at me and then to the money in her hand. She grins at me.

"Thanks mister." I stand up and she hugs my legs. I pat her on the head and she heads back to her father. The father nods at me and they leave together. Smoker smirks at me.

"Never pegged you as the loving, caring type, almost like a older brother." I roll my eyes.

Smoker then eggs us to get moving again.

We arrive at the square and enter a building that conceal shooters and scouts.

"What's going on?" Smoker speaks up.

"There's a civilian being held hostage." One officer says.

"We have identified three wanted criminals in the square. Iron Mace Alvida, Buggy the Clown and Monkey D. Luffy."

"Monkey D. Luffy?" Smoker inquires.

"We just got the wanted posters and he is listed at 30 million berries." The first officer answers.

"30 million! Been awhile since we had one like that!" Tashigi states.

"Currently he is about to be killed." I mentally facepalm. (_This sucks.)_

**Very sorry for not updating sooner. Each of us have had many problems at the moment, but we have finally got another out. R&amp;R! Comments are welcomed.**

**The Crew ;)**


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